13,037 research outputs found
Nitrogen transfer between clover and wheat in an intercropping experiment
A novel approach to the problem of improving nitrogen supply in organic farming is to use intercropping of cereals with a legume to provide nitrogen transfer within a season and/or to following crops. The affects of intercropping were studied in a column experiment using mixtures of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum cv. Claire), with white clover (w.c.) (Trifolium repens cv. Barblanca) and with red clover (r.c.) (Trifolium pratense cv. Britta). The effects of cutting and removal above ground clover material with and without additional soil disturbance were compared to leaving clover plants in situ and intercropped with wheat in a split root design. Wheat and clover plants, as monocultures, were used for the controls. 15N ammonium nitrate solution was applied. The wheat seeds were sown into the column without nitrogen. We found that the cutting treatment produced the highest yield of wheat. Available ammonium-N in the soil was greatest in the clover control treatment for the column with only red clover roots and in the cutting+soil disturbance treatment for the column with only white clover roots. Available nitrate-N was greatest in the soil disturbance treatment in the column with clover and wheat roots for both red and white clover. The cutting treatment produced the highest yield of wheat
Improving supply and phosphorous use efficiency in organic farming systems
Phosphorus (P) is an essential plant nutrient that needs to be managed carefully in organic systems so that crop yield and quality remain sustainable without contributing to environmental damage, particularly that associated with eutrophication. Under organic regulations, minimally processed rock phosphate (PR) can be used to amend low P fertility soils, although the solubility is extremely low at optimum soil pH for most crop growth (pH 6.5). This paper describes a project (PLINK) which aims to develop methods of improving P efficiency on organic farms, although the same approaches may also be applicable on conventional and low-input farms. The methodologies that the project is developing include the fermentation and composting of crop waste material with PR in order to solubilise P and make it more available to the crop. Some initial results are described here. In addition, the project will investigate the alteration of the rotation to include crops or varieties with high P uptake efficiency, or roots that possess acidifying properties which improve P availability for following crops
Repeated exercise stress impairs volitional but not magnetically evoked electromechanical delay of the knee flexors
The effects of serial episodes of fatigue and recovery on volitional and magnetically evoked neuromuscular performance of the knee flexors were assessed in twenty female soccer players during: (i) an intervention comprising 4x35s maximal static exercise; (ii) a control condition. Volitional peak force (PFV) was impaired progressively (-16 % vs. baseline: 235.3±54.7 to 198.1±38.5 N) by the fatiguing exercise and recovered to within -97 % of baseline values following six-minutes of rest. Evoked peak twitch force (PTFE) was diminished subsequent to the fourth episode of exercise (23.3 %: 21.4±13.8 vs. 16.4±14.6 N) and remained impaired at this level throughout the recovery. Impairment of volitional electromechanical delay performance (EMDV) following the first episode of exercise (25.5 % :55.3±11.9 vs. 69.5±24.5 ms) contrasted with concurrent improvement (10.0 %: 24.5±4.7 vs. 22.1±5.0 ms) in evoked electromechanical delay (EMDE) (p <0.05) and this increased disparity between EMDE and EMDV remained during subsequent periods of intervention and recovery. The fatiguing exercise provoked substantial impairments to volitional strength and EMDV that showed differential patterns of recovery. However, improved EMDE performance might identify a dormant capability for optimal muscle responses during acute stressful exercise and an improved capacity to maintain dynamic joint stabilty during critical episodes of loading
Indicator systems - resource use in organic systems
A balanced use of resources within organic farming systems is required to maintain sustainable systems. Hence, it is essential to have tools that can assess the use of resources within the farming system and their impact on the environment. The range of tools that have been developed include those assessing local farm-scale issues together with those that assess impacts at the global scale. At the global scale assessments are usually made on the basis of a unit of product whereas at the local scale assessments can also be made on an area basis. In addition, the tools also assess a variety of issues, e.g. biodiversity, pollution potential, energy and water use. The level of detail required for the different assessment tools differs substantially; nevertheless it is essential that the indicator systems developed are based on sound knowledge, are acceptable to the farmers and can guide their future actions
Are the hosts of VLBI selected radio-AGN different to those of radio-loud AGN?
Recent studies have found that radio-AGN selected by radio-loudness show
little difference in terms of their host galaxy properties when compared to
non-AGN galaxies of similar stellar mass and redshift. Using new 1.4~GHz VLBI
observations of the COSMOS field we find that approximately 49\% of
high-mass (M 10 M), high luminosity (L
10 W~Hz) radio-AGN possess a VLBI detected counterpart. These
objects show no discernible bias towards specific stellar masses, redshifts or
host properties other than what is shown by the radio-AGN population in
general. Radio-AGN that are detected in VLBI observations are not special, but
form a representative sample of the radio-loud AGN population.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures, lette
Observational Prospects for Afterglows of Short Duration Gamma-ray Bursts
If the efficiency for producing -rays is the same in short duration
(\siml 2 s) Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs) as in long duration GRBs, then the
average kinetic energy of short GRBs must be times less than that of
long GRBs. Assuming further that the relativistic shocks in short and long
duration GRBs have similar parameters, we show that the afterglows of short
GRBs will be on average 10--40 times dimmer than those of long GRBs. We find
that the afterglow of a typical short GRB will be below the detection limit
(\siml 10 \microJy) of searches at radio frequencies. The afterglow would be
difficult to observe also in the optical, where we predict R \simg 23 a few
hours after the burst. The radio and optical afterglow would be even fainter if
short GRBs occur in a low-density medium, as expected in NS-NS and NS-BH merger
models. The best prospects for detecting short-GRB afterglows are with early
(\siml 1 day) observations in X-rays.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, submitted to ApJ lette
The Expected Duration of Gamma-Ray Bursts in the Impulsive Hydrodynamic Models
Depending upon the various models and assumptions, the existing literature on
Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs) mentions that the gross theoretical value of the
duration of the burst in the hydrodynamical models is tau~r^2/(eta^2 c), where
r is the radius at which the blastwave associated with the fireball (FB)
becomes radiative and sufficiently strong. Here eta = E/Mc^2, c is the speed of
light, E is initial lab frame energy of the FB, and M is the baryonic mass of
the same (Rees and Meszaros 1992). However, within the same basic framework,
some authors (like Katz and Piran) have given tau ~ r^2 /(eta c). We intend to
remove this confusion by considering this problem at a level deeper than what
has been considered so far. Our analysis shows that none of the previously
quoted expressions are exactly correct and in case the FB is produced
impulsively and the radiative processes responsible for the generation of the
GRB are sufficiently fast, its expected duration would be tau ~ar^2/(eta^2 c),
where a~O(10^1). We further discuss the probable change, if any, of this
expression, in case the FB propagates in an anisotropic fashion. We also
discuss some associated points in the context of the Meszaros and Rees
scenario.Comment: 21 pages, LATEX (AAMS4.STY -enclosed), 1 ps. Fig. Accepted in
Astrophysical Journa
The effects of the pre-pulse on capillary discharge extreme ultraviolet laser
In the past few years collisionally pumped extreme ultraviolet (XUV) lasers
utilizing a capillary discharge were demonstrated. An intense current pulse is
applied to a gas filled capillary, inducing magnetic collapse (Z-pinch) and
formation of a highly ionized plasma column. Usually, a small current pulse
(pre-pulse) is applied to the gas in order to pre-ionize it prior to the onset
of the main current pulse. In this paper we investigate the effects of the
pre-pulse on a capillary discharge Ne-like Ar XUV laser (46.9nm). The
importance of the pre-pulse in achieving suitable initial conditions of the gas
column and preventing instabilities during the collapse is demonstrated.
Furthermore, measurements of the amplified spontaneous emission (ASE)
properties (intensity, duration) in different pre-pulse currents revealed
unexpected sensitivity. Increasing the pre-pulse current by a factor of two
caused the ASE intensity to decrease by an order of magnitude - and to nearly
disappear. This effect is accompanied by a slight increase in the lasing
duration. We attribute this effect to axial flow in the gas during the
pre-pulse.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure
HST STIS Ultraviolet Spectral Evidence of Outflow in Extreme Narrow-line Seyfert 1 Galaxies: II. Modeling and Interpretation
We present modeling to explore the conditions of the broad-line emitting gas
in two extreme Narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxies, using the observational results
described in the first paper of this series. Photoionization modeling using
Cloudy was conducted for the broad, blueshifted wind lines and the narrow,
symmetric, rest-wavelength-centered disk lines separately. A broad range of
physical conditions were explored for the wind component, and a figure of merit
was used to quantitatively evaluate the simulation results. Of the three minima
in the figure-of-merit parameter space, we favor the solution characterized by
an X-ray weak continuum, elevated abundances, a small column density
(log(N_H)\approx 21.4), relatively high ionization parameter (log(U)\approx
-1.2 - -0.2), a wide range of densities (log(n)\approx 7 - 11), and a covering
fraction of ~0.15. The presence of low-ionization emission lines implies the
disk component is optically thick to the continuum, and the SiIII]/CIII] ratio
implies a density of 10^10 - 10^10.25 cm^-3. A low ionization parameter
(log(U)=-3) is inferred for the intermediate-ionization lines, unless the
continuum is ``filtered'' through the wind before illuminating the
intermediate-line emitting gas, in which case log(U)=-2.1. The location of the
emission regions was inferred from the photoionization modeling and a simple
``toy'' dynamical model. A large black hole mass (1.3 x 10^8 M_\odot) radiating
at 11% of the Eddington luminosity is consistent with the kinematics of both
the disk and wind lines, and an emission radius of ~10^4 R_S is inferred for
both. We compare these results with previous work and discuss implications.Comment: 45 pages, 15 figures (4 color), accepted for publication in ApJ,
abstract shortene
Vegetable growing at Carnarvon - A summary of vegetable trials at the Gascoyne Research Station 1957
Th Gascoyne district is no longer entirely reliant on bananas for its income. Out of season vegetable growing has obviously come to stay, but to-date only a few varieties of vegetables have been grown commercially, the principal ones being runner beans, followed by tomatoes, cucumbers, rock melons, pumpkins and capsicums in that order. To reduce the possibility of a glut of these lines, the Department of Agriculture at Carnarvon has conducted a series of trials on many other vegetables which could have commercial possibilities if grown out of season in the district
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