A study of the mass loss rates of symbiotic star systems

The amount of mass loss in symbiotic systems is investigated, specifically mass loss via the formation of jets in R Aquarii (R Aqr). The jets in R Aqr have been observed in the X-ray by Chandra over a four year time period. The jet changes on times scales of a year and new outflows have been observed. Understanding the amount of mass and the frequency of ejection further constrain the ability of the white dwarf in the system to accrete enough mass to become a Type 1a supernova progenitor. The details of multi-wavelength studies, such as speed, density and spatial extent of the jets will be discussed in order to understand the mass balance in the binary system. We examine other symbiotic systems to determine trends in mass loss in this class of objects.Comment: To be published in the proceedings of "The Multicoloured Landscape of Compact Objects and their Explosive Origins

An inquiry into the psychological, social and work-related outcomes of an innovative labor adjustment program

This study describes and analyzes the psychological, social and work-related outcomes of unemployed steelworkers who participated in a labor adjustment program designed and delivered by personnel in Canada’s steel industry. The adjustment program, the Canadian Steel Trade and Employment Congress (CSTEC) Worker Adjustment Program, is a co-operative labor-management venture that is considered as a model upon which to base future labor adjustment programs in sectors beyond steel. A qualitative case study approach was utilized. Data were collected primarily in depth interviews and participant observations with twenty-four program participants, program staff and government labor adjustment officials. CSTEC’s Worker Adjustment Program emphasizes training. A generous exception to the Canadian Unemployment Insurance Act enables program participants to collect Unemployment Insurance benefits for up to three years of training. Data analysis revealed that training often exerts important psychological and social impacts. An empirical classification of individually perceived benefits and deficits from training participation is presented. Benefits and deficits include outcomes pertaining to empowerment, motivation, and social effects. These psycho-social outcomes, however, are only temporary. Permanence is established through the degree to which subsequent employment is satisfactory

An inquiry into the psychological, social and work-related outcomes of an innovative labor adjustment program

This study describes and analyzes the psychological, social and work-related outcomes of unemployed steelworkers who participated in a labor adjustment program designed and delivered by personnel in Canada’s steel industry. The adjustment program, the Canadian Steel Trade and Employment Congress (CSTEC) Worker Adjustment Program, is a co-operative labor-management venture that is considered as a model upon which to base future labor adjustment programs in sectors beyond steel. A qualitative case study approach was utilized. Data were collected primarily in depth interviews and participant observations with twenty-four program participants, program staff and government labor adjustment officials. CSTEC’s Worker Adjustment Program emphasizes training. A generous exception to the Canadian Unemployment Insurance Act enables program participants to collect Unemployment Insurance benefits for up to three years of training. Data analysis revealed that training often exerts important psychological and social impacts. An empirical classification of individually perceived benefits and deficits from training participation is presented. Benefits and deficits include outcomes pertaining to empowerment, motivation, and social effects. These psycho-social outcomes, however, are only temporary. Permanence is established through the degree to which subsequent employment is satisfactory

The Asters of Iowa

This taxonomic study is concerned with all the species of Aster known by the writer to occur in Iowa. It is an endeavor, first, to provide a useful key to the species of this genus known to be found in Iowa, second, to present an up-to-date nomenclature of the species, and third, to show the distribution of the species of Aster in Iowa as recorded in the collections studied. Deam\u27s Flora of Indiana has been used for the sequence of species, and the key has been largely adapted from his. Research work by recent botanists has shown that some of the specific names are invalid by rules of nomenclature and by the change of taxonomic concepts. Such names are listed as synonyms in the treatment of the species

A Statistical Survey of Peculiar L and T Dwarfs in SDSS, 2MASS, and WISE

We present the final results from a targeted search for brown dwarfs with unusual near-infrared colors. From a positional cross-match of SDSS, 2MASS and WISE, we have identified 144 candidate peculiar L and T dwarfs. Spectroscopy confirms that 20 of the objects are peculiar or are candidate binaries. Nine of the 420 objects in our sample are young ($\lesssim$200 Myr; 2.1%) and another 8 (1.9%) are unusually red with no signatures of youth. With a spectroscopic $J-K_s$ color of 2.58 $\pm$ 0.11 mag, one of the new objects, the L6 dwarf 2MASS J03530419+0418193, is among the reddest field dwarfs currently known and is one of the reddest objects with no signatures of youth known to date. We have also discovered another potentially very low gravity object, the L1 dwarf 2MASS J00133470+1109403, and independently identified the young L7 dwarf 2MASS J00440332+0228112, first reported by Schneider and collaborators. Our results confirm that signatures of low gravity are no longer discernible in low to moderate resolution spectra of objects older than $\sim$200 Myr. The 1.9% of unusually red L dwarfs that do not show other signatures of youth could be slightly older, up to $\sim$400 Myr. In this case a red $J-K_s$ color may be more diagnostic of moderate youth than individual spectral features. However, its is also possible that these objects are relatively metal-rich, and so have an enhanced atmospheric dust content.Comment: 27 pages, 7 figures, 5 tables, accepted to A