The Mad Cow Disease Trade Ban and Changes in the U.S. and Canadian Cull Cow Markets: A DAG Analysis

A directed a cyclical graph (DAG) methodology was used to discover changes in price relationships among cull cow markets in the U.S. and Canada resulting from the trade ban initiated by the discovery of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, also called mad cow disease), in a Canadian cow in 2003. Comparison of the pre- and post-ban DAGs supports the hypothesis that large structural changes in the flow of cull cow market information has occurred with significant changes both within and between countries. The typical flow of information from south to north and east to west was disrupted.Livestock Production/Industries,

The relationship of U.S. and Canadian Cull Cow Prices to lean beef prices: A DAG Analysis

Demand and Price Analysis,

Oxygen Gas Abundances at 0.4<z<1.5: Implications for the Chemical Evolution History of Galaxies

We report VLT-ISAAC and Keck-NIRSPEC near-infrared spectroscopy for a sample of 30 0.47<z<0.92 CFRS galaxies and five [OII]-selected, M_B,AB<-21.5, z~1.4 galaxies. We have measured Halpha and [NII] line fluxes for the CFRS galaxies which have [OII], Hbeta and [OIII] line fluxes available from optical spectroscopy. For the z~1.4 objects we measured Hbeta and [OIII] emission line fluxes from J-band spectra, and Halpha line fluxes plus upper limits for [NII] fluxes from H-band spectra. We derive the extinction and oxygen abundances for the sample using a method based on a set of ionisation parameter and oxygen abundance diagnostics, simultaneously fitting the [OII], Hbeta, [OIII], Halpha and [NII] line fluxes. Our most salient conclusions are: a) the source of gas ionisation in the 30 CFRS and in all z~1.4 galaxies is not due to AGN activity; b) about one third of the 0.47<z<0.92 CFRS galaxies in our sample have substantially lower metallicities than local galaxies with similar luminosities and star formation rates; c) comparison with a chemical evolution model indicates that these low metallicity galaxies are unlikely to be the progenitors of metal-poor dwarf galaxies at z~0, but more likely the progenitors of massive spirals; d) the z~1.4 galaxies are characterized by the high [OIII]/[OII] line ratios, low extinction and low metallicity that are typical of lower luminosity CADIS galaxies at 0.4<z<0.7, and of more luminous Lyman Break Galaxies at z~3.1, but not seen in CFRS galaxies at 0.4<z<1.0; e) the properties of the z~1.4 galaxies suggest that the period of rapid chemical evolution takes place progressively in lower mass systems as the universe ages, and thus provides further support for a downsizing picture of galaxy formation, at least from z~1.4 to today.Comment: Proceedings contribution for "The Fabulous Destiny of Galaxies; Bridging Past and Present", Marseille, 200

Near-Infrared Spectroscopy of 0.4<z<1.0 CFRS Galaxies: Oxygen Abundances, SFRs and Dust

Using new J-band VLT-ISAAC and Keck-NIRSPEC spectroscopy, we have measured Halpha and [NII] line fluxes for 0.47<z<0.92 CFRS galaxies which have [OII], Hbeta and [OIII]a line fluxes available from optical spectroscopy, to investigate how the properties of the star forming gas in galaxies evolve with redshift. We derive the extinction and oxygen abundances for the sample using a method based on a set of ionisation parameter and oxygen abundance diagnostics, simultaneously fitting the [OII], Hbeta,[OIII], Halpha, and [NII] line fluxes. The individual reddening measurements allow us to accurately correct the Halpha-based star formation rate (SFR) estimates for extinction. Our most salient conclusions are: a) in all 30 CFRS galaxies the source of gas ionisation is not due to AGN activity; b) we find a range of 0<AV<3, suggesting that it is important to determine the extinction for every single galaxy in order to reliably measure SFRs and oxygen abundances in high redshift galaxies; c) high values of [NII]/Halpha >0.1 for most (but not all) of the CFRS galaxies indicate that they lie on the high-metallicity branch of the R23 calibration; d) about one third of the 0.47<z<0.92 CFRS galaxies in our sample have lower metallicities than local galaxies with similar luminosities and star formation rates; e) comparison with a chemical evolution model indicates that these low metallicity galaxies are unlikely to be the progenitors of metal-poor dwarf galaxies at z~0.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journa

THE IMPACT OF BIOFUELS POLICY AND DROUGHT ON THE U.S. GRAIN AND LIVESTOCK MARKETS

This article examines the impact of the 2012 drought and the biofuels mandate on the U.S. grain and livestock markets and estimates the mandate waiver required to offset the impact on the corn price. The framework used is a stochastic equilibrium displacement model that integrates the beef, pork, and poultry markets with the corn, distillers’ grain, soybean, soymeal, and ethanol markets. The corn and beef markets are found to be the most vulnerable. A mandate waiver of approximately 23% is required to fully negate the impact of the drought on corn prices. The waiver is equivalent to a 13.7% reduction in ethanol consumption

Is Imported Beef a Complement or a Substitute for Domestic Beef?

United States beef imports have been a controversial issue since 1958, which marked the beginning of major U.S. imports of beef from Australia. From the onset, U.S. beef producers have always been concerned with unrestricted beef imports fearing they would depress prices in the domestic market. In response to these fears, the U.S. Congress enacted the 1964 Meat Import law (P.L. 88-482) limiting red meat imports to approximately 7% of the then current domestic red meat production. This system was replaced by a beef Tariff Rate Quota (TRQ). Historically, TRQ countries rarely fill their quotas. The table on the next page provides the most recent year-to-date data on beef exports to the U.S. by country and a brief explanation of how TRQs work

Stellar Populations of Luminous Evolved Galaxies at z~1.5

Observational evidence has been mounting over the past decade that at least some luminous (~2 L*) galaxies have formed nearly all of their stars within a short period of time only 1-2x10^9 years after the Big Bang. These are examples of the first major episodes of star formation in the Universe and provide insights into the formation of the earliest massive galaxies. We have examined in detail the stellar populations of six z~1.5 galaxies that appear to be passively evolving, using both ground and space-based photometry covering rest-frame UV to visible wavelengths. In addition, we have obtained medium-resolution spectroscopy for five of the six galaxies, covering the rest-frame UV portion of the spectrum. Spectral synthesis modeling for four of these galaxies favors a single burst of star formation more than 1 Gyr before the observed epoch. The other two exhibit slightly younger ages with a higher dust content and evidence for a small contribution from either recent star formation or active nuclei. The implied formation redshifts for the oldest of these sources are consistent with previous studies of passive galaxies at high redshift, and improved stellar modeling has shown these results to be quite robust. It now seems clear that any valid galaxy formation scenario must be able to account for these massive (2x10^11 M_sun) galaxies at very early times in the Universe.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figures (2 in color), accepted for publication in Ap

Extended X-Ray Emission from QSOs

We report Chandra ACIS observations of the fields of 4 QSOs showing strong extended optical emission-line regions. Two of these show no evidence for significant extended X-ray emission. The remaining two fields, those of 3C 249.1 and 4C 37.43, show discrete (but resolved) X-ray sources at distances ranging from ~10 to ~40 kpc from the nucleus. In addition, 4C 37.43 also may show a region of diffuse X-ray emission extending out to ~65 kpc and centered on the QSO. It has been suggested that extended emission-line regions such as these may originate in the cooling of a hot intragroup medium. We do not detect a general extended medium in any of our fields, and the upper limits we can place on its presence indicate cooling times of at least a few 10^9 years. The discrete X-ray emission sources we detect cannot be explained as the X-ray jets frequently seen associated with radio-loud quasars, nor can they be due to electron scattering of nuclear emission. The most plausible explanation is that they result from high-speed shocks from galactic superwinds resulting either from a starburst in the QSO host galaxy or from the activation of the QSO itself. Evidence from densities and velocities found from studies of the extended optical emission around QSOs also supports this interpretation.Comment: Accepted by ApJ. 9 pages including 5 figure