Temperature measurements behind reflected shock waves in air

A radiometric method for the measurement of gas temperature in self-absorbing gases has been applied in the study of shock tube generated flows. This method involves making two absolute intensity measurements at identical wavelengths, but for two different pathlengths in the same gas sample. Experimental results are presented for reflected shock waves in air at conditions corresponding to incident shock velocities from 7 to 10 km/s and an initial driven tube pressure of 1 torr. These results indicate that, with this technique, temperature measurements with an accuracy of + or - 5 percent can be carried out. The results also suggest certain facility related problems

The Texture of Surficial Sediments in Western Long Island Sound off the Norwalk Islands, Connecticut

Grain-size analyses were performed on 69 samples from western Long Island Sound. The relative grain-size frequency distributions and related statistics are reported herein. Descriptions of the benthic character from video tapes and still camera photographs of the bottom at these stations, and 33 others, are also presented. The southern and eastern parts of the study area are dominated by poorly sorted clayey silts that have nearly symmetrical distributions. Gravelly sediments are prevalent in the shallow northwestern part of the study area, but are also present in central part of the study area. Bands of sand, silty sand, and sand-silt-clay occur on the flanks of the gravelly areas

Science in the Jury Box: Jurors\u27 Views and Understanding of Mitochondrial DNA Evidence

This article describes parts of an unusually realistic experiment on the comprehension of expert testimony on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequencing in a criminal trial for robbery. Specifically, we examine how jurors who responded to summonses for jury duty evaluated portions of videotaped testimony involving probabilities and statistics. Although some jurors showed susceptibility to classic fallacies in interpreting conditional probabilities, the jurors as a whole were not overwhelmed by a 99.98% exclusion probability that the prosecution presented. Cognitive errors favoring the defense were more prevalent than ones favoring the prosecution. These findings lend scant support to the legal argument that mtDNA evidence (with modest exclusion probabilities) should be excluded because jurors are prone to overvalue such evidence. The article also introduces a new method for inferring the perceived probability of guilt that satisfies the burden of persuasion for most jurors

Statistics in the Jury Box: How Jurors Respond to Mitochondrial DNA Match Probabilities

This article describes parts of an unusually realistic experiment on the comprehension of expert testimony on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequencing in a criminal trial for robbery. Specifically, we examine how jurors who responded to summonses for jury duty evaluated portions of videotaped testimony involving probabilities and statistics. Although some jurors showed susceptibility to classic fallacies in interpreting conditional probabilities, the jurors as a whole were not overwhelmed by a 99.98% exclusion probability that the prosecution presented. Cognitive errors favoring the defense were more prevalent than ones favoring the prosecution. These findings lend scant support to the legal argument that mtDNA evidence (with modest exclusion probabilities) should be excluded because jurors are prone to overvalue such evidence. The article also introduces a new method for inferring the perceived probability of guilt that satisfies the burden of persuasion for most jurors

Testing Jury Reforms

DNA evidence has become a key law enforcement tool and is increasingly presented in criminal trials in Delaware and elsewhere. The integrity of the criminal trial process turns upon the jury\u27s ability to understand DNA evidence and to evaluate properly the testimony of experts. How well do they do? Can we assist them in the process

The Texture of Surficial Sediments in Central Long Island Sound off Milford, Connecticut.

The purpose of this study was to determine the grain-size distributions and associated statistical parameters of the surficial sediment samples from central Long Island Sound off Milford, Connecticut. These grain-size data, which help to ground-truth a pre-existent sidescan sonar survey (Poppe and others, 1995a; Twichell and others, in press), will eventually be used to describe the sedimentary processes active in this portion of central Long Island Sound. Other potential uses for these textural data include benthic biologic studies that evaluate faunal distributions and relate them to habitats (Zajac and others, 1995), and geochemical studies involving the distribution, transport and deposition of pollutants (Moffett and others, 1994)

Science in the Jury Box: Jurors\u27 Views and Understanding of Mitochondrial DNA Evidence

This article describes parts of an unusually realistic experiment on the comprehension of expert testimony on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequencing in a criminal trial for robbery. Specifically, we examine how jurors who responded to summonses for jury duty evaluated portions of videotaped testimony involving probabilities and statistics. Although some jurors showed susceptibility to classic fallacies in interpreting conditional probabilities, the jurors as a whole were not overwhelmed by a 99.98% exclusion probability that the prosecution presented. Cognitive errors favoring the defense were more prevalent than ones favoring the prosecution. These findings lend scant support to the legal argument that mtDNA evidence (with modest exclusion probabilities) should be excluded because jurors are prone to overvalue such evidence. The article also introduces a new method for inferring the perceived probability of guilt that satisfies the burden of persuasion for most jurors

Innovations for Improving Courtroom Communications and Views from Appellate Courts

Symposium: Improving Communications In the Courtroo

Innovations for Improving Courtroom Communications and Views from Appellate Courts

Symposium: Improving Communications In the Courtroo