First Result of Net-Charge Jet-Correlations from STAR

We presented results on azimuthal correlation of net-charge with high $p_T$ trigger particles. It is found that the net-charge correlation shape is similar to that of total-charge. On the near-side, the net-charge and total-charge $p_T$ spectra have similar shape and both are harder than the inclusives. On the away-side, the correlated spectra are not much harder than the inclusives, and the net-charge/total-charge ratio increases with $p_T$ and is similar to the inclusive ratio

Beam-Energy and System-Size Dependence of Dynamical Net Charge Fluctuations

We present measurements of net charge fluctuations in $Au + Au$ collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}} =$ 19.6, 62.4, 130, and 200 GeV, $Cu + Cu$ collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}} =$ 62.4, 200 GeV, and $p + p$ collisions at $\sqrt{s} =$ 200 GeV using the net charge dynamical fluctuations measure $\nu_{+-,dyn}$. The dynamical fluctuations are non-zero at all energies and exhibit a rather modest dependence on beam energy. We find that at a given energy and collision system, net charge dynamical fluctuations violate $1/N_{ch}$ scaling, but display approximate $1/N_{part}$ scaling. We observe strong dependence of dynamical fluctuations on the azimuthal angular range and pseudorapidity widths.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, presented at the 19th International Conference on Ultra-Relativistic Nucleus-Nucleus Collisions, "Quark Matter 2008", Jaipur, India, February 4-10, 200

The utility of unmanned probes in lunar exploration

Utility of unmanned probes of Ranger or Surveyor class in Apollo exploration program - Lunar scientific exploratio

Development of an integrated data base for land use and water quality planning

To help understand the role played by different land resources in water quality management a computer based data system was created. The Land Resource Information System (LRIS) allows data to be readily retrieved or statistically analyzed for a variety of purposes. It is specifically formatted to perform coordination of water quality data with logy, etc. New understanding of the region gained through the use of LRIS has gone well beyond the initial purpose of assessing water quality conditions. The land use and natural features information has provided a well defined starting point for a systematic evaluation of proposed land uses, transportation, housing, and other public investments. It has laid the foundation for a comprehensive and integrated approach to many different planning and investment programs presently underway

Interface Microstructures and Bond Formation in Ultrasonic Consolidation

The quality of ultrasonically consolidated parts critically depends on the bond quality between individual metal foils. This necessitates a detailed understanding of interface microstructures and ultrasonic bonding mechanism. There is a lack of information on interface microstructures in ultrasonically consolidated parts as well as a lack of consensus on the mechanism of metal ultrasonic welding, especially on matters such as plastic deformation and recrystallization. In the current work, interface microstructures of an ultrasonically consolidated multi-material Al 3003-Ni 201 sample were analyzed in detail using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, and orientation imaging microscopy. Based on the results of microstructural studies, the mechanism of metal ultrasonic welding has been discussed. The reasons for formation of defects/unbonded regions in ultrasonically consolidated parts have also been identified and discussedMechanical Engineerin

Valuing Catastrophic Citrus Losses

Courts are often required to estimate changes in welfare to agricultural operations from catastrophic events. For example, courts must assign damages in lawsuits, such as with pesticide drift cases, or determine "just compensation" when the government takes private land for public use, as with the removal of dairy farms from environmentally sensitive land or destruction of canker-contaminated citrus trees. In economics, the traditional method of quantifying producer losses is estimating changes in producer welfare, but courts rarely use this method. Instead, they turn to substitute valuation methods that may not fully capture welfare changes, such as changes in land value, tree replacement value, and total revenue. This study examines various measures for valuing the back-to-back catastrophic freezes that occurred in the Florida citrus industry in the 1980s. We first use the traditional method to determine the welfare change due to a freeze (1) for a citrus grove that loses one crop and is able to return to full production the next year, and (2) the lower measure of welfare loss due to a citrus grove that loses all of its trees and is abandoned or is replanted. The lower measure is used to simulate the legal doctrine of avoidable consequences. These measures are then compared to substitute valuation measures that have been used by courts to determine welfare changes. For case 1, total revenue overestimates losses by 35.6%. For case 2, total revenue overestimates losses by 55.3%, tree replacement value underestimates losses by 93.6%, and changes in land value underestimates losses by 13.2%.citrus, perennial crops, catastrophic loss, damages, freeze, Crop Production/Industries,

Valuing Catastrophic Losses for Perennial Agricultural Crops

Courts are often required to estimate changes in welfare to agricultural operations from catastrophic events. For example, courts must assign damages in lawsuits, such as with pesticide drift cases, or determine 'just compensation' when the government takes private land for public use, as with the removal of dairy farms from environmentally sensitive land or destruction of canker-contaminated citrus trees. In economics, the traditional method of estimating changes in producer welfare is the computation of lost producer surplus, but courts rarely use this method. Instead, they turn to substitute valuation methods that may not fully capture welfare change, such as changes in land value, tree replacement value, and total revenue. This study examines various measures for valuing the back-to-back catastrophic freezes that occurred in the Florida citrus industry in the 1980s. We first use the traditional method to determine the welfare change due to a freeze (1) for a citrus grove that loses one crop and is able to return to full production the next year (simulating destruction of annual crops), and (2)the lower measure of welfare loss due to a citrus grove that loses all of its trees and is abandoned or is replanted. The lower measure is used to simulate the legal doctrine of avoidable consequences. These measures are then compared to substitute valuation measures that have been used by courts to determine welfare changes. For case 1, total revenue overestimated losses by 35.6%. For case 2, total revenue overestimates losses by 55.3%, tree replacement value underestimates losses by 93.6%, and changes in land value underestimates losses by 13.2%.citrus, perennial crops, catastrophic loss, damages, freeze, Crop Production/Industries,

Further investigation of a contactless patient-electrode interface of an Electrical Impedance Mammography system

The Sussex Mk4 Electrical Impedance Mammography (EIM) system is a novel instrument, designed for the detection of early breast cancer, based upon Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT). Many innovations in the field have been incorporated in the design improving both signal distribution and response. This paper investigates the behaviour of the contactless patient-electrode interface. The interface was studied in detail using phantom and healthy volunteer, in-vivo, data. Our findings show the necessity for the careful design of electrode enclosure so that the response of the system is not affected by the unpredictable positioning of the breast; it closely mimics those conditions seen when using the phantom. The paper includes a number of possible designs and their individual characteristics. In addition an explanation on the unanticipated effects and solutions for such are described. © 2010 IOP Publishing Ltd

Possible Stellar Metallicity Enhancements from the Accretion of Planets

A number of recently discovered extrasolar planet candidates have surprisingly small orbits, which may indicate that considerable orbital migration takes place in protoplanetary systems. A natural consequence of orbital migration is for a series of planets to be accreted, destroyed, and then thoroughly mixed into the convective envelope of the central star. We study the ramifications of planet accretion for the final main sequence metallicity of the star. If maximum disk lifetimes are on the order of 10 Myr, stars with masses near 1 solar mass are predicted to have virtually no metallicity enhancement. On the other hand, early F and late A type stars with masses of 1.5--2.0 solar masses can experience significant metallicity enhancements due to their considerably smaller convection zones during the first 10 Myr of pre-main-sequence evolution. We show that the metallicities of an aggregate of unevolved F stars are consistent with an average star accreting about 2 Jupiter-mass planets from a protoplanetary disk having a 10 Myr dispersal time.Comment: 14 pages, AAS LaTeX, 3 figures, accepted to ApJ Letter