223 research outputs found
Importance of wind and river discharge in influencing nutrient dynamics and phytoplankton production in summer in the central Strait of Georgia
Covariant Calculation of General Relativistic Effects in an Orbiting Gyroscope Experiment
We carry out a covariant calculation of the measurable relativistic effects
in an orbiting gyroscope experiment. The experiment, currently known as Gravity
Probe B, compares the spin directions of an array of spinning gyroscopes with
the optical axis of a telescope, all housed in a spacecraft that rolls about
the optical axis. The spacecraft is steered so that the telescope always points
toward a known guide star. We calculate the variation in the spin directions
relative to readout loops rigidly fixed in the spacecraft, and express the
variations in terms of quantities that can be measured, to sufficient accuracy,
using an Earth-centered coordinate system. The measurable effects include the
aberration of starlight, the geodetic precession caused by space curvature, the
frame-dragging effect caused by the rotation of the Earth and the deflection of
light by the Sun.Comment: 7 pages, 1 figure, to be submitted to Phys. Rev.
Semigroup Closures of Finite Rank Symmetric Inverse Semigroups
We introduce the notion of semigroup with a tight ideal series and
investigate their closures in semitopological semigroups, particularly inverse
semigroups with continuous inversion. As a corollary we show that the symmetric
inverse semigroup of finite transformations of the rank
is algebraically closed in the class of (semi)topological inverse
semigroups with continuous inversion. We also derive related results about the
nonexistence of (partial) compactifications of classes of semigroups that we
consider.Comment: With the participation of the new coauthor - Jimmie Lawson - the
manuscript has been substantially revised and expanded. Accordingly, we have
also changed the manuscript titl
Reflection and the art of coaching: fostering high-performance in olympic ski cross
In preparation for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games, the lead author engaged in systematic reflection in an attempt to implement coaching behaviours and create practice environments that promoted athlete development (psycho-social and physical performance). The research was carried out in relation to his work as head Ski Cross coach working with (primarily) three athletes in their quest for Olympic qualification and subsequent performance success in the Olympic Games. This project sought to examine coach-athlete interactions. Of particular interest were coach and athlete responses regarding the implementation of autonomy supportive coaching behaviours in a high context. Autonomy supportive coaching behaviours have previously been strongly associated with positive athlete psycho-social and performance outcomes, however, a paucity of research has examined its implementation in high-performance contexts. Through the use of participant ethnography, it was possible to gain considerable insights regarding athletes' perceptions of choice, implications of perceived athletic hierarchies, as well as cultural and experience-related influences on training and performance expectations
Opinion dynamics: models, extensions and external effects
Recently, social phenomena have received a lot of attention not only from
social scientists, but also from physicists, mathematicians and computer
scientists, in the emerging interdisciplinary field of complex system science.
Opinion dynamics is one of the processes studied, since opinions are the
drivers of human behaviour, and play a crucial role in many global challenges
that our complex world and societies are facing: global financial crises,
global pandemics, growth of cities, urbanisation and migration patterns, and
last but not least important, climate change and environmental sustainability
and protection. Opinion formation is a complex process affected by the
interplay of different elements, including the individual predisposition, the
influence of positive and negative peer interaction (social networks playing a
crucial role in this respect), the information each individual is exposed to,
and many others. Several models inspired from those in use in physics have been
developed to encompass many of these elements, and to allow for the
identification of the mechanisms involved in the opinion formation process and
the understanding of their role, with the practical aim of simulating opinion
formation and spreading under various conditions. These modelling schemes range
from binary simple models such as the voter model, to multi-dimensional
continuous approaches. Here, we provide a review of recent methods, focusing on
models employing both peer interaction and external information, and
emphasising the role that less studied mechanisms, such as disagreement, has in
driving the opinion dynamics. [...]Comment: 42 pages, 6 figure
The Sudbury Neutrino Observatory
The Sudbury Neutrino Observatory is a second generation water Cherenkov
detector designed to determine whether the currently observed solar neutrino
deficit is a result of neutrino oscillations. The detector is unique in its use
of D2O as a detection medium, permitting it to make a solar model-independent
test of the neutrino oscillation hypothesis by comparison of the charged- and
neutral-current interaction rates. In this paper the physical properties,
construction, and preliminary operation of the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory are
described. Data and predicted operating parameters are provided whenever
possible.Comment: 58 pages, 12 figures, submitted to Nucl. Inst. Meth. Uses elsart and
epsf style files. For additional information about SNO see
http://www.sno.phy.queensu.ca . This version has some new reference
Pharmaceutical consultation as a tool to improve health outcomes for patients with type 2 diabetes
The genesis of gold mineralisation hosted by orogenic belts: A lead isotope investigation of Irish gold deposits
Lead isotope analyses have been performed on 109 gold and 23 sulphide samples from 34 Irish gold occurrences, including 27 placers, and used to shed light on the sources of mineralising fluids and metals associated with gold mineralisation hosted by orogenic belts. The Pb isotope ratios of lode and placer gold range from 206Pb/204Pb=17.287-18.679, 207Pb/204Pb=15.382-15.661, and 208Pb/204Pb=37.517-38.635, consistent with the Pb isotopic data on previously reported Irish sulphide mineralisation. There is no evidence that gold mineralisation is associated with distinctive source regions, and it appears to have been derived from similar sources to those responsible for the widespread sulphide mineralisation in Ireland. It is inferred that the principal controls on the Au mineralisation are structural and not related to the distribution of Au in their source rocks. The range of Pb isotope ratios favours the interaction of multiple source reservoirs predominantly during the Caledonian Orogeny (c. 475-380Ma). Underlying basement was the primary control on two key sources of Pb. Gold occurrences located to the south-east of the Iapetus Suture are characterised by Pb compositions that derive predominantly from the Late Proterozoic crustal basement or overlying Lower Palaeozoic sediments, whilst those located north-west of the Iapetus Suture are characterised by less radiogenic Pb signatures derived predominantly from Late Proterozoic or older crustal basement. A third source, relatively enriched in radiogenic Pb, also played a role in the formation of a number of Irish gold occurrences, and may have been associated with syn- to post-orogenic intrusives. Magmatic processes may therefore have played an important role in the formation of some orogenic gold occurrences
- …