86,096 research outputs found
X-ray Emission from the Radio Jet in 3C 120
We report the discovery of X-ray emission from a radio knot at a projected
distance of 25" from the nucleus of the Seyfert galaxy, 3C 120. The data were
obtained with the ROSAT High Resolution Imager (HRI). Optical upper limits for
the knot preclude a simple power law extension of the radio spectrum and we
calculate some of the physical parameters for thermal bremsstrahlung and
synchrotron self-Compton models. We conclude that no simple model is consistent
with the data but if the knot contains small regions with flat spectra, these
could produce the observed X-rays (via synchrotron emission) without being
detected at other wavebands.Comment: 6 pages latex plus 3 ps/eps figures. Uses 10pt.sty and
emulateapj.sty. Accepted for publication in the ApJ (6 Jan 99
Understanding Floristic Diversity Though a Database of Greene County Specimens
We present a floristic list of Greene County, Arkansas, based on accessioned collections from the Arkansas State University Herbarium (STAR). Currently, there are 1569 specimens representing 540 taxa from Greene County in STAR. Using the USDA Plants Database, plant species were analyzed according to whether or not they are native to the state as well as whether or not they have been previously documented as species occurring in the county. Having analyzed all the Greene County collections from STAR, we found 225 previously undocumented species. The data suggest that most of the specimens in the STAR collection were found in wooded areas and/or near water. This may be a reflection of sampling bias as two of the primary collectors of these specimens were primarily interested in bog habitats. For this reason, the Greene County collections may not fully represent all habitats in the county, but it is likely that they are a good representation of the county’s seeps and bogs. The STAR Herbarium is emerging as a critical resource for understanding botanical diversity in the eastern counties of Arkansas, but it is clear that additional collections are necessary to fully represent all habitats in these areas
Impact of flying qualities on mission effectiveness for helicopter air combat, volume 1
A computer simulation to investigate the impact of flying qualities on mission effectiveness is described. The objective of the study was to relate the effects of flying qualities, such as precision of flight path control and pilot workload, to the ability of a single Scout helicopter, or helicopter team, to accomplish a specified anti-armor mission successfully. The model of the actual engagement is a Monte Carlo simulation that has the capability to assess the effects of helicopter characteristics, numbers, tactics and weaponization on the force's ability to accomplish a specific mission against a specified threat as a function of realistic tactical factors. A key feature of this program is a simulation of micro-terrain features and their effects on detection, exposure, and masking for nap-of-the-earth (NOE) flight
Governance of Dual-Use Technologies: Theory and Practice
The term dual-use characterizes technologies that can have both military and civilian applications. What is the state of current efforts to control the spread of these powerful technologies—nuclear, biological, cyber—that can simultaneously advance social and economic well-being and also be harnessed for hostile purposes? What have previous efforts to govern, for example, nuclear and biological weapons taught us about the potential for the control of these dual-use technologies? What are the implications for governance when the range of actors who could cause harm with these technologies include not just national governments but also non-state actors like terrorists? These are some of the questions addressed by Governance of Dual-Use Technologies: Theory and Practice, the new publication released today by the Global Nuclear Future Initiative of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. The publication's editor is Elisa D. Harris, Senior Research Scholar, Center for International Security Studies, University of Maryland School of Public Affairs. Governance of Dual-Use Technologies examines the similarities and differences between the strategies used for the control of nuclear technologies and those proposed for biotechnology and information technology. The publication makes clear the challenges concomitant with dual-use governance. For example, general agreement exists internationally on the need to restrict access to technologies enabling the development of nuclear weapons. However, no similar consensus exists in the bio and information technology domains. The publication also explores the limitations of military measures like deterrence, defense, and reprisal in preventing globally available biological and information technologies from being misused. Some of the other questions explored by the publication include: What types of governance measures for these dual-use technologies have already been adopted? What objectives have those measures sought to achieve? How have the technical characteristics of the technology affected governance prospects? What have been the primary obstacles to effective governance, and what gaps exist in the current governance regime? Are further governance measures feasible? In addition to a preface from Global Nuclear Future Initiative Co-Director Robert Rosner (University of Chicago) and an introduction and conclusion from Elisa Harris, Governance of Dual-Use Technologiesincludes:On the Regulation of Dual-Use Nuclear Technology by James M. Acton (Carnegie Endowment for International Peace)Dual-Use Threats: The Case of Biotechnology by Elisa D. Harris (University of Maryland)Governance of Information Technology and Cyber Weapons by Herbert Lin (Stanford University
Storage of light in atomic vapor
We report an experiment in which a light pulse is decelerated and trapped in
a vapor of Rb atoms, stored for a controlled period of time, and then released
on demand. We accomplish this storage of light by dynamically reducing the
group velocity of the light pulse to zero, so that the coherent excitation of
the light is reversibly mapped into a collective Zeeman (spin) coherence of the
Rb vapor
Microcanonical treatment of black hole decay at the Large Hadron Collider
This study of corrections to the canonical picture of black hole decay in
large extra dimensions examines the effects of back-reaction corrected and
microcanonical emission at the LHC. We provide statistical interpretations of
the different multiparticle number densities in terms of black hole decay to
standard model particles. Provided new heavy particles of mass near the
fundamental Planck scale are not discovered, differences between these
corrections and thermal decay will be insignificant at the LHC.Comment: small additions and clarifications, format for J. Phys.
Deep ROSAT-HRI observations of the NGC 1399/NGC 1404 region: morphology and structure of the X-ray halo
We present the analysis of a deep (167 ks) ROSAT HRI observation of the cD
galaxy NGC 1399 in the Fornax cluster. Using both HRI and, at larger radii,
archival PSPC data, we find that the radial behavior of the X-ray surface
brightness profile is not consistent with a simple Beta model and suggests
instead three distinct components. We use a multi-component bidimensional model
to study in detail these three components that we identify respectively with
the cooling flow region, the galactic and the cluster halo. From these data we
derive a binding mass distribution in agreement with that suggested by optical
dynamical indicators, with an inner core dominated by luminous matter and an
extended dark halo differently distributed on galactic and cluster scales. The
HRI data and a preliminary analysis of Chandra public data, allow us to detect
significant density fluctuations in the halo. We discuss possible
non-equilibrium scenarios to explain the hot halo structure, including tidal
interactions with neighboring galaxies, ram stripping from the intra-cluster
medium and merging events. In the innermost region of NGC 1399, the comparison
between the X-ray and radio emission suggests that the radio emitting plasma is
displacing and producing shocks in the hot X-ray emitting gas. We found that
the NGC 1404 halo is well represented by a single symmetric Beta model and
follows the stellar light profile within the inner 8 kpc. The mass distribution
is similar to the `central' component of the NGC 1399 halo. At larger radii ram
pressure stripping from the intra-cluster medium produces strong asymmetries in
the gas distribution. Finally we discuss the properties of the point source
population finding evidence of correlation between the source excess and NGC
1399.Comment: 34 pages in aastex5.0 format, including 28 B&W and 4 color figures.
Uses LaTex packages: subfigure, lscape and psfig. Accepted for publication in
ApJ. High resolution version can be found at:
http://www.na.astro.it/~paolillo/publications.htm
A comparison of two-coloured filter systems for treating visual reading difficulties
Copyright @ 2013 Informa UK Ltd.Purpose: Visual disturbances that make it difficult to read text are often termed “visual stress”. Coloured filters in spectacles may help some children overcome reading problems that are often caused by visual stress. It has been suggested that for optimal effect each child requires an individually prescribed colour for each eye, as determined in systems such as the “Harris Foundation” coloured filters. Alternatively, it has been argued that only blue or yellow filters, as used in the “Dyslexia Research Trust” (DRT) filter system, are necessary to affect the underlying physiology. Method: A randomised, double blind trial with 73 delayed readers, was undertaken to compare changes in reading and spelling as well as irregular and non-word reading skills after 3 months of wearing either the Harris or the DRT filters. Results: Reading improved significantly after wearing either type of filter (t = −8.4, p < 0.01), with 40% of the children improving their reading age by 6 months or more during the 3 month trial. However, spelling ability (t = 2.1, p = 0.05) and non-word reading (f = 4.7, p < 0.05) improved significantly more with the DRT than with the Harris filters. Conclusion: Education and rehabilitation professionals should therefore, consider coloured filters as an effective intervention for delayed readers experiencing visual stress
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