The Seventh Data Release of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

This paper describes the Seventh Data Release of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), marking the completion of the original goals of the SDSS and the end of the phase known as SDSS-II. It includes 11663 deg^2 of imaging data, with most of the roughly 2000 deg^2 increment over the previous data release lying in regions of low Galactic latitude. The catalog contains five-band photometry for 357 million distinct objects. The survey also includes repeat photometry over 250 deg^2 along the Celestial Equator in the Southern Galactic Cap. A coaddition of these data goes roughly two magnitudes fainter than the main survey. The spectroscopy is now complete over a contiguous area of 7500 deg^2 in the Northern Galactic Cap, closing the gap that was present in previous data releases. There are over 1.6 million spectra in total, including 930,000 galaxies, 120,000 quasars, and 460,000 stars. The data release includes improved stellar photometry at low Galactic latitude. The astrometry has all been recalibrated with the second version of the USNO CCD Astrograph Catalog (UCAC-2), reducing the rms statistical errors at the bright end to 45 milli-arcseconds per coordinate. A systematic error in bright galaxy photometr is less severe than previously reported for the majority of galaxies. Finally, we describe a series of improvements to the spectroscopic reductions, including better flat-fielding and improved wavelength calibration at the blue end, better processing of objects with extremely strong narrow emission lines, and an improved determination of stellar metallicities. (Abridged)Comment: 20 pages, 10 embedded figures. Accepted to ApJS after minor correction

"Security and integration in Mitteleuropa: Towards a new research agenda"

Developments in contemporary Mitteleuropa are of central importance for the future of the European integration process and the reshaping of post-cold war European security. This paper seeks to outline a theoretical framework for analysing what is undoubtedly one of the crucial hinges of change in Mitteleuropa, namely Germany's evolving relationship with the countries of East Central Europe. The central argument advanced in this paper is that security in Mitteleuropa is inextricably intertwined with the dynamics of the wider European integration process. The aim of this paper is to explore the nature of the link between security and integration, in order to develop a conceptual framework for analysing the changing pattern of German-East Central European relations. The paper is structured into three sections. The first explains why Germany's relationship with the Visegrad countries is of such far-reaching significance for the future of European security and integration. The second section outlines a conceptual framework for analysing this evolving relationship based on the concept of a 'security-community,' originally developed by Karl Deutsch and his associates in 1957. The third section seeks to adapt and develop Deutsch's analytical framework by utilising some of the insights of the 'new institutionalism’ and of social constructivism. It focuses in particular on the three concepts of interests, identities and institutions, which together provide a set of analytical tools for adapting and developing the concept of a security-community

Understanding Pakistan's nuclear behaviour (1950s-2010) : assessing the state motivation and its international ramifications (a three models approach)

The aim of this study is to understand the motivation behind Pakistan’s nuclear behaviour and its ramifications for the global non-proliferation system. Pakistan is an extremely important case because of its status as a non-signatory state to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and a country from which proliferation has occurred (to Iran, North Korea and Libya). The central interest in this study is the extent to which Pakistan’s security interests and its nuclear behaviour were factored into the global non-proliferation regime and why that regime failed to constrain Pakistan’s nuclear behaviour so that it first developed nuclear weapons and then proliferated them to states which are a matter of concern to the international community. The thesis seeks to explain Pakistan’s nuclear behaviour through the prism of regime theory and a three-models approach (neo-realism, neo-liberalism and constructivism). The thesis also provides an in-depth analytical account of whether or how far international institutions and regimes can succeed in influencing the behaviour of states through cooperation, a theme suggested by regime theory. The three schools of thought offer useful arguments to help explain why it was that Pakistan did not choose to join the non-proliferation regime and the constraints which international institutions face with regard to non-signatory states. Drawing lessons from the case of Pakistan, the thesis suggests ways in which global non-proliferation institutions might be strengthened in the future, which would also help in linking Pakistan more firmly to the non-proliferation regime. These changes would also help to align other non-NPT states, such as India and Israel, with the non-proliferation regime and offer a firmer challenge to other states to change their conduct – states such as North Korea and Iran, which remain a cause of concern to the international community.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo