Regional variation in perceptions about climate change.

A 2007 survey covering rural areas in nine US states provides data on perceived local impacts of climate change. Perceptions vary from region to region, with a pattern suggesting links to real climate specifically to winter warming in snow country. A multivariate analysis using mixed-effects ordered logit regression confirms a significant perception-temperature relationship, net of individual background and ideological characteristics, and of regional variations. These findings invite more detailed research

Ski areas, weather and climate: Time series models for New England case studies

Wintertime warming trends experienced in recent decades, and predicted to increase in the future, present serious challenges for ski areas and whole regions that depend on winter tourism. Most research on this topic examines past or future climate-change impacts at yearly to decadal resolution, to obtain a perspective on climate-change impacts. We focus instead on local-scale impacts of climate variability, using detailed daily data from two individual ski areas. Our analysis fits ARMAX (autoregressive moving average with exogenous variables) time series models that predict day-to-day variations in skier attendance from a combination of mountain and urban weather, snow cover and cyclical factors. They explain half to two-thirds of the variation in these highly erratic series, with no residual autocorrelation. Substantively, model results confirm the backyard hypothesis that urban snow conditions significantly affect skier activity; quantify these effects alongside those of mountain snow and weather; show that previous-day conditions provide a practical time window; find no monthly effects net of weather; and underline the importance of a handful of high-attendance days in making or breaking the season. Viewed in the larger context of climate change, our findings suggest caution regarding the efficacy of artificial snowmaking as an adaptive strategy, and of smoothed yearly summaries to characterize the timing-sensitive impacts of weather (and hence, high-variance climate change) on skier activity. These results elaborate conclusions from our previous annual-level analysis. More broadly, they illustrate the potential for using ARMAX models to conduct integrated, dynamic analysis across environmental and social domains

Is New Hampshire\u27s climate warming?

This Carsey brief looks at temperature anomalies across New Hampshire and shows that not only is the state warmer than it has been in the past, but it is also warming faster than much of the planet. Sociologist Lawrence Hamilton, research associate professor Cameron Wake, and former NH state climatologist Barry Keim analyzed over 100 years of temperatures across the state to produce this data for the Carsey Institute in August 2010

Channel Catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, T-Lymphocyte Mitogenic Responses to Outer Membrane Proteins and LPS of the Gram Negative Rod Bacterium, Edwardsiella ictaluri

A thesis presented to the faculty of the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences at Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Biology by Barry Revis Hamilton on December 8, 1995

Biosignature detection in Mars Analogue Aqueous Alteration Minerals Using Raman Spectroscopy

The Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group states in their documentation regarding science goals, objectives, investigations and priorities, that the number one goal of Mars exploration is to determine if Mars ever supported life. A Raman spectrometer is suggested to be a prime candidate instrument for the detection of organic compounds, the building blocks of terrestrial life. Though Raman spectroscopy has no space heritage, both NASA and ESA have Raman instruments planned for their next Mars rovers. The ideal place to search for organic matter which could provide evidence for past or present life would be in the presence of minerals that were formed in water. This study was carried out to determine if a molecular biosignature can be detected in a mixture with either a phyllosilicate or a hydrated sulphate. We present this data at UV excitation wavelength using a prototype in-situ stand off Raman system intended to represent an instrument for a rover platform. Data is also presented for the same samples using green excitation wavelength and a commercial Raman microscope. The spectral resolution of the short focal length prototype in-situ UV Raman system leads to less numerous bands than the green Raman microscope system. Ultraviolet electronic absorption transitions in the samples containing transition metals, either as part of a mineral's crystal structure or as impurities, result in no Raman spectra from the minerals and poor or limited detection of the organic. Only the synthetic calcium sulphate dihydrate, which contains no transition metals, allowed for both acquisition of the mineral spectrum and detection of the embedded biosignature at all concentrations tested using either excitation wavelength. Certain samples allowed for the detection of an organic through the observation of a C-H stretching vibration, but did not provide enough clear peaks to define which organic was present

No approximate complex fermion coherent states

Whereas boson coherent states with complex parametrization provide an elegant, and intuitive representation, there is no counterpart for fermions using complex parametrization. However, a complex parametrization provides a valuable way to describe amplitude and phase of a coherent beam. Thus we pose the question of whether a fermionic beam can be described, even approximately, by a complex-parametrized coherent state and define, in a natural way, approximate complex-parametrized fermion coherent states. Then we identify four appealing properties of boson coherent states (eigenstate of annihilation operator, displaced vacuum state, preservation of product states under linear coupling, and factorization of correlators) and show that these approximate complex fermion coherent states fail all four criteria. The inapplicability of complex parametrization supports the use of Grassman algebras as an appropriate alternative.Comment: Argumentation made cleare

Weather, climate, and the economy: Explaining risk perceptions of global warming, 2001-10

Abstract Two series of national survey datasets (2001-10), supplemented with monthly temperature and precipitation data and unemployment data, are used to examine how weather and climate, economic performance, and individuals\u27 sociodemographic backgrounds and political orientations affect public perceptions of global warming. Consistent with previous studies, political orientations play a key rolein determining public perceptions of global warming. Democrats and liberals are more likely than Republicans and conservatives to see global warming as an immediate and serious problem. Sociodemographic characteristics are also shown to be significant factors, with young people, women, and racial minorities likely to show higher concern about global warming than their counterparts. Moreover, individuals with lower income and higher levels of education tend to be more concerned about global warming. Net of these factors, summer temperature trends over the past 10 years, among other weather and climate measures, are shown to have consistently positive effects on public perceptions of global warming. This suggests that individuals who have experienced increasing summer heat are most likely to perceive immediate impacts and severity of global warming. Surprisingly, macroeconomic conditions - represented by the unemployment rate at the county level - do not appear to influence public perceptions of global warming

Science, scientists, and local weather: Understanding mass perceptions of global warming

Objective: To explore the effects of long-term climate trends and short-term weather fluctuations, evaluations of scientists and science, political predispositions, religious affiliation, the information environment, and demographic attributes on individuals’ views about whether global warming exists and, if so, whether it is a result of natural cycles or human activity. Methods: We use data from the 2009 Pew General Public Science Survey, along with data on long- and short-term patterns of temperature and precipitation in individuals’ home communities. Results: We find that long-term trends in summer temperatures influence perceptions of global warming. Individuals who reside in communities with long-term warming of summer temperatures that are coupled with long-term cooling of spring temperatures are significantly more likely to perceive that global warming exists and is due to human activity. We also find that Americans\u27 attitudes toward scientists and science, political dispositions, evangelical religious affiliation, education, and some demographic attributes all have discernible effects on their perceptions of anthropogenic (man-made) global warming. Conclusion: Individuals’ attitudes toward global warming are influenced by long-term temperature trends in their home communities, as well as a variety of attitudinal and demographic attributes

The Paris Collection: Reflections on an Interdisciplinary Performance Project

Between September 2013 and January 2014, students and staff of the Technological University Dublin Conservatory of Music and Drama and DIT Dublin School of Creative Arts collaborated on the creation of an opera production which was presented at the National Concert Hall on Jan 23rd. The project was implemented within the modular framework from both colleges. The collaboration was both multi and inter-disciplinary and the students engaged at a professional level, working under staff supervision and in tandem with personnel and resources outside the college environment. The performers were required to audition for their roles and the teams of design students had to prepare and present a \u27pitch\u27 for their concept to be selected. These same design students also took responsibility for the set construction, while the entire cohort had to respond to the logistical and artistic challenges of taking the production into a major venue on the day of performance and being ready to begin in a significantly limited period of time. The delivery of a public performance in a high profile venue meant that the project culminated in full exposure of public scrutiny, and consequently demanded the skills, intelligence, energy and commitment of all involved. This presentation will focus on the collaboration as a relevant case-study, exemplifying a modular-based inter-disciplinary project within the College of Arts and Tourism. It will provide an evaluation of the insights, strengths and benefits gained by all who participated. It will also provide an honest discourse on the requirements, resources and challenges such an undertaking demands, particularly with reference to establishing professional demands within an educational context. With reference to future implementation of other synergies, the presentation will provide recommendations as to how these can be realistically and sufficiently facilitated through creative and flexible programme development

Warming winters and New Hampshire’s lost ski areas: An integrated case study

New Hampshire’s mountains and winter climate support a ski industry that contributes substantially to the state economy. Through more than 70 years of history, this industry has adapted and changed with its host society. The climate itself has changed during this period too, in ways that influenced the ski industry’s development. During the 20th century, New Hampshire’s mean winter temperature warmed about 2.1° C (3.8° F). Much of that change occurred since 1970. The mult‐decadal variations in New Hampshire winters follow global temperature trends. Snowfall exhibits a downward trend, strongest in southern New Hampshire, and also correlates with the North Atlantic Oscillation. Many small ski areas opened during the early years while winters were cold and snowy. As winters warmed, areas in southern or lowelevation locations faced a critical disadvantage. Under pressure from both climate and competition, the number of small ski areas leveled off and then fell steeply after 1970. The number of larger, chairliftoperating ski areas began falling too after 1980. Aprolonged warming period increased the importance of geographic advantages, and also of capital investment in snowmaking, grooming and economic diversification. The consolidation trend continues today. Most of the surviving ski areas are located in the northern mountains. Elsewhere around the state, one can find the remains of “lost” ski areas in places that now rarely have snow suitable for downhill skiing. This case study demonstrates a general approach for conducting integrated empirical research on the human dimensions of climate change