Few-body resonances of unequal-mass systems with infinite interspecies two-body s-wave scattering length

Two-component Fermi and Bose gases with infinitely large interspecies s-wave scattering length $a_s$ exhibit a variety of intriguing properties. Among these are the scale invariance of two-component Fermi gases with equal masses, and the favorable scaling of Efimov features for two-component Bose gases and Bose-Fermi mixtures with unequal masses. This paper builds on our earlier work [D. Blume and K. M. Daily, arXiv:1006.5002] and presents a detailed discussion of our studies of small unequal-mass two-component systems with infinite $a_s$ in the regime where three-body Efimov physics is absent. We report on non-universal few-body resonances. Just like with two-body systems on resonance, few-body systems have a zero-energy bound state in free space and a diverging generalized scattering length. Our calculations are performed within a non-perturbative microscopic framework and investigate the energetics and structural properties of small unequal-mass two-component systems as functions of the mass ratio $\kappa$, and the numbers $N_{1}$ and $N_2$ of heavy and light atoms. For purely attractive Gaussian two-body interactions, we find that the $(N_1,N_2)=(2,1)$ and $(3,1)$ systems exhibit three-body and four-body resonances at mass ratios $\kappa = 12.314(2)$ and 10.4(2), respectively. The three- and four-particle systems on resonance are found to be large. This suggests that the corresponding wave function has relatively small overlap with deeply-bound dimers, trimers or larger clusters and that the three- and four-body systems on resonance have a comparatively long lifetime. Thus, it seems feasible that the features discussed in this paper can be probed experimentally with present-day technology.Comment: 17 pages, 17 figure

Enhancing Grasslands Education With Decision Support Tools

We have successfully used Decision Support Tools (DST) relevant to the management of grazing enterprises to enhance problem solving skills of undergraduates in Australia. Tools such as GrassGro™ (Moore et al., 1997) and GrazFeed™ (Freer et al., 1997) are accessed from a central server by authorised users at many widely dispersed Universities across Australia using remote access to thin-client technology via an Internet portal. This has been supplemented with training for lecturers. Experience in developing appropriate teaching and learning materials and the reliable delivery of simulation software to many clients has enhanced learning outcomes at tertiary level. We are also trialling the use of DST to other learning sectors

A Policy Maker’s Guide to Designing Payments for Ecosystem Services

Over the past five years, there has been increasing interest around the globe in payment schemes for the provision of ecosystem services, such as water purification, carbon sequestration, flood control, etc. Written for an Asian Development Bank project in China, this report provides a user-friendly guide to designing payments for the provision of ecosystem services. Part I explains the different types of ecosystem services, different ways of assessing their value, and why they are traditionally under-protected by law and policy. This is followed by an analysis of when payments for services are a preferable approach to other policy instruments. Part II explains the design issues underlying payments for services. These include identification of the service as well as potential buyers and sellers, the level of service needed, payment timing, payment type, and risk allocation. Part II contains a detailed analysis of the different types of payment mechanisms, ranging from general subsidy and certification to mitigation and offset payments. Part III explores the challenges to designing a payment scheme. These include the ability to monitor service provision, secure property rights, perverse incentives, supporting institutions, and poverty alleviation

Electrical resistance tomography of unsaturated flow and transport in Yucca Mountain

Electrical Resistance Tomography (ERT), a new geophysical imaging technique, was used to study the movement of a tracer through the test block at the Unsaturated Zone Transport Test (UZTT) at Busted Butte, Nevada. Data were collected four times starting in July and ending in early September, 1998. ERT baseline images show a resistivity structure which is consistent with the known lithology in the rear part of the test block. There appears to be a low resistivity region in the front half of the block, particularly near the bottom. Difference images from August 19 and September 9 show clear and consistent resistivity decreases in the region near injection holes 18, 20, and 21 which can be associated with the injection of conductive water. The images show very little effect in the region around the other injection holes, 23, and 24 through 27 where far less water was injected. Difference images from August 19 and September 9 show resistivity decreases which could be interpreted as water moving down into the block. This is the same region which has an anomalously low resistivity in the baseline image. These results should be considered preliminary, and are subject to further interpretation

Citizens and Condemnation: Strategic Uses of International Human Rights Pressure in Authoritarian States

Governments with strict control over the information that their citizens hear from foreign sources are regular targets of human rights pressure, but we know little about how this information matters in the domestic realm. I argue that authoritarian regimes strategically pass on certain types of external pressure to their public to “internationalize” human rights violations, making citizens view human rights in terms of defending their nation internationally rather than in terms of individual violations, and making them more likely to be satisfied with their government’s behavior. I find strong support for this model through statistical analysis of Chinese state media reports of external human rights pressure and a survey experiment on Chinese citizens’ responses to pressure on women’s rights. This analysis demonstrates that authoritarian regimes may be able to manipulate international human rights diplomacy to help them retain the support of their population while suppressing their human rights

Governing of Agro-Ecosystem Services

In this paper we incorporate interdisciplinary New Institutional and Transaction Costs Economics (combining Economics, Organization, Law, Sociology, Behavioral and Political Sciences), and suggest a framework for analysis of mechanisms of governance of agro-ecosystem services. Firstly, we present a new approach for analysis and improvement of governance of agro-ecosystem services. It takes into account the role of specific institutional environment (formal and informal rules, distribution of rights, systems of enforcement); and behavioral characteristics of individual agents (preferences, bounded rationality, opportunism, risk aversion, trust); and transactions costs associated with ecosystem services and their critical factors (uncertainty, frequency, asset specificity, appropriability); and comparative efficiency of market, private, public and hybrid modes of governance. Secondly, we identify spectrum of market and private forms of governance of agro-ecosystem services (voluntary initiatives; market trade with eco-products and services; special contractual arrangements; collective actions; vertical integration), and evaluate their efficiency and potential. Next, we identify needs for public involvement in the governance of agro-ecosystem services, and assess comparative efficiency of alternative modes of public interventions (assistance, regulations, funding, taxing, provision, partnership, property right modernization). Finally, we analyze structure and efficiency of governance of agro-ecosystems services in Zapadna Stara Planina – a mountainous region in North-West Bulgaria. Post-communist transition and EU integration has brought about significant changes in the state and governance of agro-ecosystems services. Newly evolved market, private and public governance has led to significant improvement of part of agro-ecosystems services introducing modern eco-standards and public support, enhancing environmental stewardship, desintensifying production, recovering landscape and traditional productions, diversifying quality, products, and services. At the same time, novel governance is associated with some new challenges such as unsustainable exploitation, lost biodiversity, land degradation, water and air contamination. What is more, implementation of EU common policies would have no desired impact on agro-ecosystem services unless special measures are taken to improve management of public programs, and extend public support to dominating small-scale and subsistence farms

Corporate governance and financial constraints on strategic turnarounds

The paper extends the Robbins and Pearce (1992) two-stage turnaround response model to include governance factors. In addition to the retrenchment and recovery, the paper proposes the addition of a realignment stage, referring specifically to the re-alignment of expectations of principal and agent groups. The realignment stage imposes a threshold that must be crossed before the retrenchment and hence recovery stage can be entered. Crossing this threshold is problematic to the extent that the interests of governance-stakeholder groups diverge in a crisis situation. The severity of the crisis impacts on the bases of strategy contingent asset valuation leading to the fragmentation of stakeholder interests. In some cases the consequence may be that management are prevented from carrying out turnarounds by governance constraints. The paper uses a case study to illustrate these dynamics, and like the Robbins and Pearce study, it focuses on the textile industry. A longitudinal approach is used to show the impact of the removal of governance constraints. The empirical evidence suggests that such financial constraints become less serious to the extent that there is a functioning market for corporate control. Building on governance research and turnaround literature, the paper also outlines the general case necessary and sufficient conditions for successful turnarounds

Nonstationary Collisional Dynamics in Determining Nitric Oxide Laser-Induced Flourescence Spectra

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/77237/1/AIAA-8783-947.pd

The Paradox of Power in CSR: A Case Study on Implementation

Purpose Although current literature assumes positive outcomes for stakeholders resulting from an increase in power associated with CSR, this research suggests that this increase can lead to conflict within organizations, resulting in almost complete inactivity on CSR. Methods A single in-depth case study, focusing on power as an embedded concept. Results Empirical evidence is used to demonstrate how some actors use CSR to improve their own positions within an organization. Resource dependence theory is used to highlight why this may be a more significant concern for CSR. Conclusions Increasing power for CSR has the potential to offer actors associated with it increased personal power, and thus can attract opportunistic actors with little interest in realizing the benefits of CSR for the company and its stakeholders. Thus power can be an impediment to furthering CSR strategy and activities at the individual and organizational level