Carbon Disclosure, Performance and the Green Reputation of Higher Educational Institutions in the UK

Purpose This study aims to investigate the carbon emission disclosures (CED) and performance of UK higher educational institutions (HEIs) and the associated impact on their environmental reputation. The paper argues that HEIs possess distinct characteristics that make comparisons with profit-oriented companies problematic and misleading. Design/methodology/approach The green score published by the People and Planet organisation provided the population for this analysis. All universities with a 2012 score were entered into the initial sample. The association between green reputation, CED and carbon performance was examined using a robust least squared regression model. The green score published in 2019 was then compared with this to confirm whether the findings still held. Findings CED, carbon emissions and carbon audit were found to have highly significant determinant relationships with HEIs’ green reputation status at a 1% significance level. Research limitations/implications The impact of CED and carbon performance indicators needs to have a clear relationship with reputation to motivate HEIs to act and disclose. Originality/value The study is distinct in investigating the impact of CED and carbon performance by UK HEIs on their environmental reputation. The study shows whether, and how, the HEI CED and carbon performances contribute towards their environmental reputation. HEIs have distinct characteristics from profit-seeking organisations and thus tailored research is required. </jats:sec

PPC: an algorithm for accurate estimation of SNP allele frequencies in small equimolar pools of DNA using data from high density microarrays

Robust estimation of allele frequencies in pools of DNA has the potential to reduce genotyping costs and/or increase the number of individuals contributing to a study where hundreds of thousands of genetic markers need to be genotyped in very large populations sample sets, such as genome wide association studies. In order to make accurate allele frequency estimations from pooled samples a correction for unequal allele representation must be applied. We have developed the polynomial based probe specific correction (PPC) which is a novel correction algorithm for accurate estimation of allele frequencies in data from high-density microarrays. This algorithm was validated through comparison of allele frequencies from a set of 10 individually genotyped DNA's and frequencies estimated from pools of these 10 DNAs using GeneChip 10K Mapping Xba 131 arrays. Our results demonstrate that when using the PPC to correct for allelic biases the accuracy of the allele frequency estimates increases dramatically

Optimizing Decision Preparedness by Adapting Scenario Complexity and Automating Scenario Generation

Klein's recognition-primed decision (RPD) framework proposes that experts make decisions by recognizing similarities between current decision situations and previous decision experiences. Unfortunately, military personnel arQ often presented with situations that they have not experienced before. Scenario-based training (S8T) can help mitigate this gap. However, SBT remains a challenging and inefficient training approach. To address these limitations, the authors present an innovative formulation of scenario complexity that contributes to the larger research goal of developing an automated scenario generation system. This system will enable trainees to effectively advance through a variety of increasingly complex decision situations and experiences. By adapting scenario complexities and automating generation, trainees will be provided with a greater variety of appropriately calibrated training events, thus broadening their repositories of experience. Preliminary results from empirical testing (N=24) of the proof-of-concept formula are presented, and future avenues of scenario complexity research are also discussed

SCUBA Observations of MAMBO Sources

We have observed 23 sources from the MAMBO 1200 micron survey with SCUBA at 850 microns, detecting 19 of the sources. The sources generally have low values for the ratio of 850 micron to 1200 micron flux. Two possible explanations for the low values are either that the sources are at very high redshift or that the global properties of the dust in the MAMBO sources are different from the global properties of dust in low-redshift galaxies. If the former explanation is correct, we estimate that 15 of the MAMBO sources lie at z > 3.Comment: MNRAS, in pres

Project WISH: The Emerald City

Phase 3 of Project WISH saw the evolution of the Emerald City (E-City) from a collection of specialized independent analyses and ideas to a working structural design integrated with major support systems and analyses. Emphasis was placed on comparing and contrasting the closed and open cycle gas core nuclear rocket engines to further determine the optimum propulsive system for the E-City. Power and thermal control requirements were then defined and the question of how to meet these requirements was addressed. Software was developed to automate the mission/system/configuration analysis so changes dictated by various subsystem constraints could be managed efficiently and analyzed interactively. In addition, the liquid hydrogen propellant tank was statically designed for minimum mass and shape optimization using a finite element modeling package called SDRC I-DEAS. Spoke and shaft cross-sectional areas were optimized on ASTROS (Automated Structural Optimization System) for mass minimization. A structural dynamic analysis of the optimal structure also conducted using ASTROS enabled a study of the modes, frequencies, displacements, and accelerations of the E-City. Finally, the attitude control system design began with an initial mass moment of inertia analysis and was then designed and optimized using linear quadratic regulator control theory

The Canada-UK Deep Submillimetre Survey - VIII. Source identifications in the 3-hour field

We present optical, near-infrared (IR) and radio observations of the 3-hour field of the Canada-UK Deep Submillimetre Survey (CUDSS). Of the 27 submillimetre sources in the field, nine have secure identifications with either a radio source or a near-IR source. We show that the percentage of sources with secure identifications in the CUDSS is consistent with that found for the bright ‘8-mJy' submillimetre survey, once allowance is made for the different submillimetre and radio flux limits. Of the 14 secure identifications in the two CUDSS fields, eight are very red objects (VROs) or extremely red objects (EROs), five have colours typical of normal galaxies and one is a radio source that has not yet been detected at optical/near-IR wavelengths. 11 of the identifications have optical/near-IR structures which are either disturbed or have some peculiarity that suggests that the host galaxy is part of an interacting system. One difference between the CUDSS results and the results from the 8-mJy survey is the large number of low-redshift objects in the CUDSS. We give several arguments why these are genuine low-redshift submillimetre sources rather than being gravitational lenses that are gravitationally amplifying a high-z submillimetre source. We construct a K-z diagram for various classes of high-redshift galaxy and show that the SCUBA galaxies are on average less luminous than classical radio galaxies, but are very similar in both their optical/IR luminosities and their colours to the host galaxies of the radio sources detected in μJy radio survey

The Canada-UK Deep Submillimetre Survey VIII: Source Identifications in the 3-hour field

We present optical, near-infrared and radio observations of the 3-hour field of the Canada-UK Deep Submillimetre Survey. Of the 27 submillimetre sources in the field, nine have secure identifications with either a radio source or a near-IR source. We show that the percentage of sources with secure identifications in the CUDSS is consistent with that found for the bright `8 mJy' submillimetre survey, once allowance is made for the different submillimetre and radio flux limits. Of the 14 secure identifications in the two CUDSS fields, eight are VROs or EROs, five have colours typical of normal galaxies, and one is a radio source which has not yet been detected at optical/near-IR wavelengths. Eleven of the identifications have optical/near-IR structures which are either disturbed or have some peculiarity which suggests that the host galaxy is part of an interacting system. One difference between the CUDSS results and the results from the 8-mJy survey is the large number of low-redshift objects in the CUDSS; we give several arguments why these are genuine low-redshift submillimetre sources rather than being gravitational lenses which are gravitationally amplifying a high-$z$ submillimetre source. We construct a $K-z$ diagram for various classes of high-redshift galaxy and show that the SCUBA galaxies are on average less luminous than classical radio galaxies, but are very similar in both their optical/IR luminosities and their colours to the host galaxies of the radio sources detected in $\mu$Jy radio surveys.Comment: accepted for publication in MNRAS, 18 pages, full-resolution versions of Figure 1 and 2 can be found at http://www.astro.cf.ac.uk/groups/cosmo/papers.htm

Modelling high-resolution ALMA observations of strongly lensed dusty star-forming galaxies detected by Herschel

We present modelling of ∼0.1 arcsec resolution Atacama Large Millimetre/submillimetre Array imaging of seven strong gravitationally lensed galaxies detected by the Herschel Space Observatory. Four of these systems are galaxy–galaxy strong lenses, with the remaining three being group-scale lenses. Through careful modelling of visibilities, we infer the mass profiles of the lensing galaxies and by determining the magnification factors, we investigate the intrinsic properties and morphologies of the lensed submillimetre sources. We find that these submillimetre sources all have ratios of star formation rate to dust mass that are consistent with, or in excess of, the mean ratio for high-redshift submillimetre galaxies and low redshift ultra-luminous infrared galaxies. Reconstructions of the background sources reveal that the majority of our sample display disturbed morphologies. The majority of our lens models have mass density slopes close to isothermal, but some systems show significant differences

Marsbee - Swarm of Flapping Wing Flyers for Enhanced Mars Exploration

Mars exploration has received significant interest from academia, industry, government, and the general public. Despite continued interest, flying on Mars remains challenging, mainly due to the ultra-thin Martian atmospheric density. Although the gravitational acceleration on Mars is 38 percent of Earth's 9.8 meters per second squared, the Martian atmospheric density is only 1.3 percent of the air density on Earth. The aerodynamic forces are proportional to the ambient fluid density. Therefore, flying near the surface of Mars has been considered nearly impossible. The proposed mission architecture (Fig. 1) consists of a Mars rover (already existing) that serves as a mobile base for Marsbees - a deployable swarm of small bio-inspired flapping wing vehicles. In one ConOps scenario, each Marsbee would carry an integrated stereographic video camera and the swarm could construct a 3D topographic map of the local surface for rover path planning. These flying scouts would provide a "third-dimension" to the rover capabilities. In other scenarios, each part of the swarm of Marsbees could carry pressure and temperature sensors for atmospheric sampling, or small spectral analyzers for identification of mineral outcroppings. In each scenario, the rover acts as a recharging and deployment/return station and data and communication hub. Human exploration of Mars is one of the major objectives of NASA and commercial entities such as SpaceX and Boeing. The identified innovations unique to the bio-inspired flapping Marsbee provide viable multi-mode flying mobility for Martian atmospheric and terrain exploration. A swarm of Marsbees provides an enhanced reconfigurable Mars exploration system that is resilient to individual component failures. These Marsbees can carry sensors and wireless communication devices in combination with a Mars rover and helicopters. These enhanced sensing and information gathering abilities can contribute to the following NASA Mars mission objectives: i) "Determine the habitability of an environment", ii) "Obtain surface weather measurements to validate global atmospheric models", and iii) "Prepare for human exploration on Mars." Various commercial entities, e.g. SpaceX and Boeing, are investing in technologies to transport humans to Mars