Interfacing the Network: An Embedded Approach to Network Instrument Creation

This paper discusses the design, construction, and development of a multi-site collaborative instrument, The Loop, developed by the JacksOn4 collective during 2009-10 and formally presented in Oslo at the arts.on.wires and NIME conferences in 2011. The development of this instrument is primarily a reaction to historical network performance that either attempts to present traditional acoustic practice in a distributed format or utilises the network as a conduit to shuttle acoustic and performance data amongst participant nodes. In both scenarios the network is an integral and indispensible part of the performance, however, the network is not perceived as an instrument, per se. The Loop is an attempt to create a single, distributed hybrid instrument retaining traditionally acoustic interfaces and resonant bodies that are mediated by the network. The embedding of the network into the body of the instrument raises many practical and theoretical discussions, which are explored in this paper through a reflection upon the notion of the distributed instrument and the way in which its design impacts the behaviour of the participants (performers and audiences); the mediation of musical expression across networks; the bi-directional relationship between instrument and design; as well as how the instrument assists in the realisation of the creators’ compositional and artistic goals

PREPARATION AND ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVE 4-AP BAITS FOR BLACKBIRDS

Red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) acceptance of corn as a bait for use in ripening sunflower has been questioned. This study demonstrated that sunflower meats, sunflower achenes, and pearled barley all have potential as alternative bait carriers for 4-AP. Each can be treated with 4-AP so that individual bait particles carry dosages equivalent to those of cracked corn in the registered product, Avitrol FC Corn Chops 99S. Treated baits produced a distress response in redwings in times ranging from 21.7 min (sunflower meats) to 64.5 min (sunflower achenes). The time to distress elicited by sunflower meats coated with 4-AP was similar to that obtained with cracked corn baits used in the commercial product. Simulated rainfall or contact with moist soil resulted in a loss of 4-AP from all treated baits. Sunflower achenes proved the most durable of the baits, retaining 75% of their original 4-AP content following 1/4 in of simulated rainfall

Forest planting on Illinois farms

Includes bibliographical references

Axion-photon Couplings in Invisible Axion Models

We reexamine the axion-photon couplings in various invisible axion models motivated by the recent proposal of using optical interferometry at the ASST facility in the SSCL to search for axion. We illustrate that the assignment of $U(1)_{PQ}$ charges for the fermion fields plays an important role in determining the couplings. Several simple non-minimal invisible axion models with suppressed and enhanced axion-photon couplings are constructed, respectively. We also discuss the implications of possible new experiments to detect solar axions by conversion to $X$-rays in a static magnetic apparatus tracking the sun.Comment: 14 pages, LaTeX fil

Development and Evaluation of an Undergraduate Science Communication Module

This paper describes the design and evaluation of an undergraduate final year science communication module for the Science Faculty at the University of East Anglia. The module focuses specifically on science communication and aims to bring an understanding of how science is disseminated to the public. Students on the module are made aware of the models surrounding science communication and investigate how the science culture interfaces with the public. During the module they learn how to adapt science concepts for different audiences and how to talk confidently about science to a lay-audience. Student motivation for module choice centres on the acquisition of transferable skills and students develop these skills through designing, running and evaluating a public outreach event at a school or in a public area. These transferable skills acquired include communication, interaction with different organisations such as museums and science centres, developing understanding of both the needs of different audiences and the importance of time management. They also develop skills relating to self-reflection and how to use this as a tool for future self development. The majority of students completing the module go on to further study, either a PhD, MSc or teacher training. The module can be sustained in its present formed if capped at 40 students, however it is recognised that to increase cohort size, further investment of faculty time and resources would be required

Ground state of a polydisperse electrorheological solid: Beyond the dipole approximation

The ground state of an electrorheological (ER) fluid has been studied based on our recently proposed dipole-induced dipole (DID) model. We obtained an analytic expression of the interaction between chains of particles which are of the same or different dielectric constants. The effects of dielectric constants on the structure formation in monodisperse and polydisperse electrorheological fluids are studied in a wide range of dielectric contrasts between the particles and the base fluid. Our results showed that the established body-centered tetragonal ground state in monodisperse ER fluids may become unstable due to a polydispersity in the particle dielectric constants. While our results agree with that of the fully multipole theory, the DID model is much simpler, which offers a basis for computer simulations in polydisperse ER fluids.Comment: Accepted for publications by Phys. Rev.

On the thin-shell limit of branes in the presence of Gauss-Bonnet interactions

In this paper we study thick-shell braneworld models in the presence of a Gauss-Bonnet term. We discuss the peculiarities of the attainment of the thin-shell limit in this case and compare them with the same situation in Einstein gravity. We describe the two simplest families of thick-brane models (parametrized by the shell thickness) one can think of. In the thin-shell limit, one family is characterized by the constancy of its internal density profile (a simple structure for the matter sector) and the other by the constancy of its internal curvature scalar (a simple structure for the geometric sector). We find that these two families are actually equivalent in Einstein gravity and that the presence of the Gauss-Bonnet term breaks this equivalence. In the second case, a shell will always keep some non-trivial internal structure, either on the matter or on the geometric sectors, even in the thin-shell limit.Comment: 17 pages, 2 figures, RevTeX 4. Revised version accepted for publication in Physical Review

Scalar brane backgrounds in higher order curvature gravity

We investigate maximally symmetric brane world solutions with a scalar field. Five-dimensional bulk gravity is described by a general lagrangian which yields field equations containing no higher than second order derivatives. This includes the Gauss-Bonnet combination for the graviton. Stability and gravitational properties of such solutions are considered, and we particularily emphasise the modifications induced by the higher order terms. In particular it is shown that higher curvature corrections to Einstein theory can give rise to instabilities in brane world solutions. A method for analytically obtaining the general solution for such actions is outlined. Genericaly, the requirement of a finite volume element together with the absence of a naked singularity in the bulk imposes fine-tuning of the brane tension. A model with a moduli scalar field is analysed in detail and we address questions of instability and non-singular self-tuning solutions. In particular, we discuss a case with a normalisable zero mode but infinite volume element.Comment: published versio

Generalised Israel Junction Conditions for a Gauss-Bonnet Brane World

In spacetimes of dimension greater than four it is natural to consider higher order (in R) corrections to the Einstein equations. In this letter generalized Israel junction conditions for a membrane in such a theory are derived. This is achieved by generalising the Gibbons-Hawking boundary term. The junction conditions are applied to simple brane world models, and are compared to the many contradictory results in the literature.Comment: 4 page