Remote sounding through semi-transparent cirrus cloud

A large portion of the earth is covered by thin semi-transparent cirrus cloud. The cirrus results from the natural injection of moisture into the upper troposphere by deep convection (i.e., anvils) and from man-made moisture injected into the upper troposphere by jet aircraft. Although most cirrus clouds are semi-transparent to infrared wavelengths, their heights, thicknesses, and spectral absorption properties must be known in order to retrieve atmospheric temperature and moisture profiles from the data. An algorithm is developed for accounting for the radiative properties of semi-transparent cloud in the retrieval of vertical temperature and moisture profiles. The algorithm is to be applied to the NASA ER2 HIS data collected during the FIRE cirrus field program

Nuclear matrix element for two neutrino double beta decay from 136Xe

The nuclear matrix element for the two neutrino double beta decay (DBD) of 136Xe was evaluated by FSQP (Fermi Surface Quasi Particle model), where experimental GT strengths measured by the charge exchange reaction and those by the beta decay rates were used. The 2 neutrino DBD matrix element is given by the sum of products of the single beta matrix elements via low-lying (Fermi Surface) quasi-particle states in the intermediate nucleus. 136Xe is the semi-magic nucleus with the closed neutron-shell, and the beta + transitions are almost blocked. Thus the 2 neutrino DBD is much suppressed. The evaluated 2 neutrino DBD matrix element is consistent with the observed value.Comment: 7 pages 6 figure

Aerosol Data Sources and Their Roles within PARAGON

We briefly but systematically review major sources of aerosol data, emphasizing suites of measurements that seem most likely to contribute to assessments of global aerosol climate forcing. The strengths and limitations of existing satellite, surface, and aircraft remote sensing systems are described, along with those of direct sampling networks and ship-based stations. It is evident that an enormous number of aerosol-related observations have been made, on a wide range of spatial and temporal sampling scales, and that many of the key gaps in this collection of data could be filled by technologies that either exist or are expected to be available in the near future. Emphasis must be given to combining remote sensing and in situ active and passive observations and integrating them with aerosol chemical transport models, in order to create a more complete environmental picture, having sufficient detail to address current climate forcing questions. The Progressive Aerosol Retrieval and Assimilation Global Observing Network (PARAGON) initiative would provide an organizational framework to meet this goal

National counter-terrorism (C-T) policies and challenges to human rights and civil liberties: Case study of United Kingdom

In the UK the rise post-2005 in “home-grown” terrorism, relying to a significant extent on strikes on soft targets by “self-starters,” means that the search for effective preventive measures remains a continuing concern. Below a number of the preventive counter-terror measures adopted post-9/11, and incrementally strengthened in response to the current threat, are found to fall into three categories and represent interventions at the stages in the path toward attacks. This chapter focuses on selected examples of these preventive measures. In terms of three key stages, firstly, there is the attempt to prevent radicalization, under the “Prevent” strategy. A second strategy relies on taking certain measures to control the activities of those considered likely – on the balance of probabilities – to engage in terrorist-related activity. A third preventive strategy relies on the special terrorism offences under the Terrorism Acts 2000 and 2006, as amended, intended to allow for intervention at a very early stage in terrorist plots and in preparing or instigating terrorist acts (“precursor” offences)

Feedback Control of Flight Speed to Reduce Unmanned Aerial System Noise

The aim of this initial study is to incorporate an acoustic metric into the flight control system of an unmanned aerial vehicle. This could be used to mitigate the noise impact of unmanned aerial systems operating near residential communities. To incorporate an acoustic metric into a pre-existing flight control system, two things are required: a source noise model, and an acoustic controller. An acoustic model was developed based on Gutin's work to estimate propeller noise. The flight control system was augmented with a controller to reduce propeller noise using feedback control of the commanded flight speed until an acoustic target was met. This control approach focuses on modifying flight speed only, with no perturbation to the trajectory. Multiple flight simulations were performed and the results showed that integrating an acoustic metric into the flight control system of an unmanned aerial system is possible

Investigation of the radiative boundary conditions during the development of the southwest monsoon Saudi Arabian heat low, An

January 1982.Includes bibliographical references.Progress report no. 2 on the cooperative research project between the Department of Atmospheric Science at Colorado State University and the Faculty of Meteorology and Environmental Science at King Abdul-Aziz University in accordance with the CID-ARME TED Project of the University of Arizona. Period covered August 16-November 30, 1981.CID contract #CSU-SA-KAU-02

Observing Spontaneous Strong Parity Violation in Heavy-Ion Collisions

We discuss the problem of observing spontaneous parity and CP violation in collision systems. We discuss and propose observables which may be used in heavy-ion collisions to observe such violations, as well as event-by-event methods to analyze the data. Finally, we discuss simple monte-carlo models of these CP violating effects which we have used to develop our techniques and from which we derive rough estimates of sensitivities to signals which may be seen at RHIC