65,634 research outputs found
The Herschel Virgo Cluster Survey - I. Luminosity function
We describe the Herschel Virgo Cluster Survey (HeViCS) and the first data obtained as part of the science demonstration phase (SDP). The data cover a central 4×4 sq deg region of the cluster. We use SPIRE and PACS photometry data to produce 100, 160, 250, 350 and 500 μm luminosity functions (LFs) for optically bright galaxies that are selected at 500 μm and detected in all bands. We compare these LFs with those previously derived using IRAS, BLAST and Herschel-ATLAS data. The Virgo cluster LFs do not have the large numbers of faint galaxies or examples of very luminous galaxies seen previously in surveys covering less dense environments
Aerosol studies in mid-latitude coastal environments in Australia
The results of the evaluation of several inversion procedures that were used to select one which provides the most accurate atmospheric extinction profiles for small aerosol extinction coefficients (that often predominate in the maritime airmass) are presented. Height profiles of atmospheric extinction calculated by a two component atmospheric solution to the LIDAR equation will be compared with corresponding in-situ extinction profiles based on the size distribution profiles obtained in Western Australia. Values of the aerosol backscatter to extinction ratio obtained from multi-angle LIDAR measurements will be used in this solution
UNICEF IWASH Project, Northern Region, Ghana : an adapted training manual for groundwater development
This report is an adapted training manual, with specific best practice recommendations for
groundwater development practitioners working in the Northern Region, Ghana. It is designed to
be used in conjunction with the existing comprehensive training manual ‘Developing
Groundwater: a guide to rural water supply’ by MacDonald, Davies, Calow and Chilton (2005).
The additional guidelines provided in this supplementary report are specific to the Northern
Region of Ghana, and have been informed by a review of groundwater development in the
region which BGS carried out on behalf of UNICEF in 2010-2011.
The Northern Region is a difficult area in which to find and develop groundwater resources. For
this reason, more resources – time and money – need to be focussed on careful borehole siting
and development in order to maximise success. This includes detailed desk and field
reconnaissance surveys; the effective use and interpretation of geophysical siting methods;
collection of good quality data during drilling and test pumping; rigorous recording and
management of data; and effective interpretation, sharing and use of hydrogeological
information by all groundwater development practitioners. This report, and the associated
manual ‘Developing Groundwater’, provide practical help for carrying out these activities
effectively.
The authors gratefully acknowledge those persons who contributed to the formation of these
guidelines, who include:
UNICEF Ghana – Othniel Habila, Kabuka Banda and David Ede
Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA), Ghana – John Aduakye
Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) – Hydrogeological Assessment
Project (HAP) – James Racicot
All participants at the UNICEF/BGS workshop and training programme held in Tamale,
Northern Region, from 7 to 18 February 2011
Shifts in hexapod diversification and what Haldane could have said
Data on species richness and taxon age are assembled for the extant hexapod orders (insects and their six-legged relatives). Coupled with estimates of phylogenetic relatedness, and simple statistical null models, these data are used to locate where, on the hexapod tree, significant changes in the rate of cladogenesis (speciation-minus-extinction rate) have occurred. Significant differences are found between many successive pairs of sister taxa near the base of the hexapod tree, all of which are attributable to a shift in diversification rate after the origin of the Neoptera (insects with wing flexion) and before the origin of the Holometabola (insects with complete metamorphosis). No other shifts are identifiable amongst supraordinal taxa. Whilst the Coleoptera have probably diversified faster than either of their putative sister lineages, they do not stand out relative to other closely related clades. These results suggest that any Creator had a fondness for a much more inclusive clade than the Coleoptera, definitely as large as the Eumetabola (Holometabola plus bugs and their relatives), and possibly as large as the entire Neoptera. Simultaneous, hence probable causative events are discussed, of which the origin of wing flexion has been the focus of much attention
Quantum Determinism from Quantum General Covariance
The requirement of general covariance of quantum field theory (QFT) naturally
leads to quantization based on the manifestly covariant De Donder-Weyl
formalism. To recover the standard noncovariant formalism without violating
covariance, fields need to depend on time in a specific deterministic manner.
This deterministic evolution of quantum fields is recognized as a covariant
version of the Bohmian hidden-variable interpretation of QFT.Comment: 6 pages, revised, new references, Honorable Mention of the Gravity
Research Foundation 2006 Essay Competition, version to appear in Int. J. Mod.
Phys.
Geometric phases in a scattering process
The study of geometric phase in quantum mechanics has so far be confined to
discrete (or continuous) spectra and trace preserving evolutions. Consider only
the transmission channel, a scattering process with internal degrees of freedom
is neither a discrete spectrum problem nor a trace preserving process. We
explore the geometric phase in a scattering process taking only the
transmission process into account. We find that the geometric phase can be
calculated by the some method as in an unitary evolution. The interference
visibility depends on the transmission amplitude. The dependence of the
geometric phase on the barrier strength and the spin-spin coupling constant is
also presented and discussed.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure
Sources of sport confidence, imagery type and performance among competitive athletes: The mediating role of sports confidence
Aim: This study explored the mediating role of sport confidence upon (1) sources of sport confidence-performance relationship and (2) imagery-performance relationship. Methods: Participants were 157 competitive athletes who completed state measures of confidence level/sources, imagery type and performance within one hour after competition. Results: Among the current sample, confirmatory factor analysis revealed appropriate support for the nine-factor SSCQ and the five-factor SIQ. Mediational analysis revealed that sport confidence had a mediating influence upon the achievement source of confidence-performance relationship. In addition, both cognitive and motivational imagery types were found to be important sources of confidence, as sport confidence mediated imagery type-performance relationship. Conclusion: Findings indicated that athletes who construed confidence from their own achievements and report multiple images on a more frequent basis are likely to benefit from enhanced levels of state sport confidence and subsequent performance
Sources of sport confidence, imagery type and performance among competitive athletes: The mediating role of sports confidence
Aim: This study explored the mediating role of sport confidence upon (1) sources of sport confidence-performance relationship and (2) imagery-performance relationship. Methods: Participants were 157 competitive athletes who completed state measures of confidence level/sources, imagery type and performance within one hour after competition. Results: Among the current sample, confirmatory factor analysis revealed appropriate support for the nine-factor SSCQ and the five-factor SIQ. Mediational analysis revealed that sport confidence had a mediating influence upon the achievement source of confidence-performance relationship. In addition, both cognitive and motivational imagery types were found to be important sources of confidence, as sport confidence mediated imagery type-performance relationship. Conclusion: Findings indicated that athletes who construed confidence from their own achievements and report multiple images on a more frequent basis are likely to benefit from enhanced levels of state sport confidence and subsequent performance
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