Competition for firms in an oligopolistic industry : the impact of economic integration

We set up a model of generalised oligopoly where two countries of different size compete for an exogenous, but variable, number of identical firms. The model combines a desire by national governments to attract internationally mobile firms with the existence of location rents that arise even in a symmetric equilibrium where firms are dispersed. As economic integration proceeds, equilibrium taxes initially decline, but then rise again as trade costs fall even further. A range of trade costs is identified where economic integration raises the welfare of the small country, but lowers welfare in the large country

Independent Orbiter Assessment (IOA): Assessment of the data processing system FMEA/CIL

The results of the Independent Orbiter Assessment (IOA) of the Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) and Critical Items List (CIL) are presented. The IOA effort first completed an analysis of the Data Processing System (DPS) hardware, generating draft failure modes and potential critical items. To preserve independence, this analysis was accomplished without reliance upon the results contained within the NASA FMEA/CIL documentation. The IOA results were then compared to the NASA FMEA/CIL baseline with proposed Post 51-L updates included. A resolution of each discrepancy from the comparison is provided through additional analysis as required. The results of that comparison is documented for the Orbiter DPS hardware

Independent Orbiter Assessment (IOA): Assessment of the orbital maneuvering subsystem, volume 2

The results of the Independent Orbiter Assessment (IOA) of the Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) and Critical Items List (CIL) are presented. The IOA effort first completed an analysis of the Orbital Maneuvering System (OMS) hardware and electrical power distribution and control (EPD and C), generating draft failure modes and potential critical items. To preserve independence, this analysis was accomplished without reliance upon the results contained within the NASA FMEA/CIL documentation. The IOA results were then compared to the proposed Post 51-L NASA FMEA/CIL baseline. This report documents the results of that comparison for the Orbiter OMS hardware and EPD and C systems. Volume 2 continues the presentation of IOA worksheets and contains the critical items list and the NASA FMEA to IOA worksheet cross reference and recommendations

Independent Orbiter Assessment (IOA): Analysis of the DPS subsystem

The results of the Independent Orbiter Assessment (IOA) of the Failure Modes and Effects Analysis/Critical Items List (FMEA/CIL) is presented. The IOA approach features a top-down analysis of the hardware to independently determine failure modes, criticality, and potential critical items. The independent analysis results corresponding to the Orbiter Data Processing System (DPS) hardware are documented. The DPS hardware is required for performing critical functions of data acquisition, data manipulation, data display, and data transfer throughout the Orbiter. Specifically, the DPS hardware consists of the following components: Multiplexer/Demultiplexer (MDM); General Purpose Computer (GPC); Multifunction CRT Display System (MCDS); Data Buses and Data Bus Couplers (DBC); Data Bus Isolation Amplifiers (DBIA); Mass Memory Unit (MMU); and Engine Interface Unit (EIU). The IOA analysis process utilized available DPS hardware drawings and schematics for defining hardware assemblies, components, and hardware items. Each level of hardware was evaluated and analyzed for possible failure modes and effects. Criticality was assigned based upon the severity of the effect for each failure mode. Due to the extensive redundancy built into the DPS the number of critical items are few. Those identified resulted from premature operation and erroneous output of the GPCs

Independent Orbiter Assessment (IOA): Assessment of the orbital maneuvering system FMEA/CIL, volume 1

The results of the Independent Orbiter Assessment (IOA) of the Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) and Critical Items List (CIL) are presented. The IOA effort first completed an analysis of the Orbital Maneuvering System (OMS) hardware and Electrical Power Distribution and Control (EPD and C), generating draft failure modes and potential critical items. To preserve independence, this analysis was accomplished without reliance upon the results contained within the NASA FMEA/CIL documentation. The IOA results were then compared to the proposed Post 51-L NASA FMEA/CIL baseline. This report documents the results of that comparison for the Orbiter OMS hardware. The IOA analysis defined the OMS as being comprised of the following subsystems: helium pressurization, propellant storage and distribution, Orbital Maneuvering Engine, and EPD and C. The IOA product for the OMS analysis consisted of 284 hardware and 667 EPD and C failure mode worksheets that resulted in 160 hardware and 216 EPD and C potential critical items (PCIs) being identified. A comparison was made of the IOA product to the NASA FMEA/CIL baseline which consisted of 101 hardware and 142 EPD and C CIL items

Independent Orbiter Assessment (IOA): Analysis of the reaction control system, volume 3

The results of the Independent Orbiter Assessment (IOA) of the Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) and Critical Items List (CIL) are presented. The IOA approach features a top-down analysis of the hardware to determine failure modes, criticality, and potential critical items. To preserve independence, this analysis was accomplished without reliance upon the results contained within the NASA FMEA/CIL documentation. This report documents the independent analysis results for the Reaction Control System (RCS). The RCS is situated in three independent modules, one forward in the orbiter nose and one in each OMS/RCS pod. Each RCS module consists of the following subsystems: Helium Pressurization Subsystem; Propellant Storage and Distribution Subsystem; Thruster Subsystem; and Electrical Power Distribution and Control Subsystem. Volume 3 continues the presentation of IOA analysis worksheets and the potential critical items list

Ecological Assessment of Sagebrush Grasslands in Eastern Wyoming

An understanding of existing ecosystem conditions is necessary for planning efforts that include formulation of landscape conservation goals and implementation strategies. In support of a landscape planning effort for a 946,000-ac mixed-ownership area in eastern Wyoming, we used remote sensing and field sampling to assess existing ecosystem conditions of terrestrial ecological sites. We used SPOT 5, 33-ft (10-m) multi-spectral satellite imagery combined with NRCS ecological sites to create a geographic information system layer of vegetation cover by ecological site. We then integrated the remote sensing information with field data (571 plots) collected from a stratified random design from 2003 through 2005. The integration of the field data with the satellite mapping provided specific information about each terrestrial ecological site including species composition, productivity, structure, and shrub cover. Western wheatgrass was the most dominant species across all of the terrestrial ecological sites followed by big sagebrush, needle and thread, blue grama, annual brome species and to a lesser extent threadleaf sedge, and six weeks fescue. We found species that typically decrease with grazing (for example green needlegrass, bluebunch wheatgrass, Indian ricegrass) to be lacking or entirely absent from plant communities. Introduced species, especially the annual bromes, were prevalent across all ecological sites. Over 55 percent of the terrestrial ecosystems we sampled had greater than five percent relative cover of introduced plant species. Current ecosystem conditions for many wildlife of the area, as identified by our assessment, had generally lower habitat quality than desired and treatments to improve these conditions are planned

Laser ablation of graphite in different buffer gases

The KrF-laser ablation of graphite into 300 Torr of He, Ne, Ar, and Xe has been studied by fast imaging of the plasma emission and post-deposition analyses of collected film deposits. In each case, the soot which was redeposited on the irradiated rod following ablation was highly fullerene-deficient compared to the material collected on the sample disk 1.5 cm from the rod, as determined by laser desorption Fourier Transform Mass Spectrometry (FTMS) Investigation of the plasma plume propagation using fast ICCD photography reveals three main phases to the expansion: (1) forward motion, deceleration and stopping of the leading edge of the plume, (2) an apparent reflected shock within the plume which propagates backward and reflects from the rod surface, (3) coalescence of these two components, resulting in continued expansion and dissipation of the plasma and the appearance of glowing ultrafine particles. For the laser plume propagating in 300 Torr of Xe the characteristic time intervals for these three phases are 0-300 ns, 300-1000 ns, and 1-1000 {mu}s for phases (1), (2), and (3) respectively. The possible explanation of the observed difference in fullerene content is discussed on the basis of different plasma phases resulting in soot deposition on the rod and sample disk. The measurement of ro-vibrational spectra of electronically excited C{sub 2} has been performed. Rotational and vibrational temperatures, T{sub R} = 3000 {+-} 300K and T{sub V} = 6000 {+-} 500K have been obtained from the comparison of measured and calculated C{sub 2} -Swan band emission

Phylogenetic Relationships of the Enigmatic Malesian Fern Thylacopteris (Polypodiaceae, Polypodiidae)

Thylacopteris is the sister to a diverse clade of polygrammoid ferns that occurs mainly in Southeast Asia and Malesia. The phylogenetic relationships are inferred from DNA sequences of three chloroplast genome regions (rbcL, rps4, rps4‐trnS IGS) for 62 taxa and a fourth cpDNA sequence (trnL‐trnF IGS) for 35 taxa. The results refute previously proposed close relationships to Polypodium s.s. but support suggested relationships to the Southeast Asiatic genus Goniophlebium. In all phylogenetic reconstructions based on more than one cpDNA region, we recovered Thylacopteris as sister to a clade in which Goniophlebium is in turn sister to several lineages, including the genera Lecanopteris, Lepisorus, Microsorum, and their relatives. Goniophlebium and allies comprise a significant component of vascular fern epiphytes in the rain forests of Southeast Asia and Malesia. The relationships of the genus Thylacopteris as at the base of the clade comprising the genera Goniophlebium, Lecanopteris, Lepisorus, Microsorum, and their relatives indicate that this entire lineage arose in Malesia and subsequently dispersed to continental Asia, Australia, the Pacific, and Africa