Performance test of QU-fitting in cosmic magnetism study

QU-fitting is a standard model-fitting method to reconstruct distribution of magnetic fields and polarized intensity along a line of sight (LOS) from an observed polarization spectrum. In this paper, we examine the performance of QU-fitting by simulating observations of two polarized sources located along the same LOS, varying the widths of the sources and the gap between them in Faraday depth space, systematically. Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) approach is used to obtain the best-fit parameters for a fitting model, and Akaike and Bayesian Information Criteria (AIC and BIC, respectively) are adopted to select the best model from four fitting models. We find that the combination of MCMC and AIC/BIC works fairly well in model selection and estimation of model parameters in the cases where two sources have relatively small widths and a larger gap in Faraday depth space. On the other hand, when two sources have large width in Faraday depth space, MCMC chain tends to be trapped in a local maximum so that AIC/BIC cannot select a correct model. We discuss the causes and the tendency of the failure of QU-fitting and suggest a way to improve it.Comment: 8 pages, 9 figures, submitted to MNRA

Measuring neural excitation and inhibition in autism: different approaches, different findings and different interpretations.

The balance of neural excitation and inhibition (E/I balance) is often hypothesised to be altered in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). One widely held view is that excitation levels are elevated relative to inhibition in ASD. Understanding whether, and how, E/I balance may be altered in ASD is important given the recent interest in trialling pharmacological interventions for ASD which target inhibitory neurotransmitter function. Here we provide a critical review of evidence for E/I balance in ASD. We conclude that data from a number of domains provides support for alteration in excitation and inhibitory neurotransmission in ASD, but when considered collectively, the available literature provide little evidence to support claims for either a net increase in excitation or a net increase in inhibition. Strengths and limitations of available techniques are considered, and directions for future research discussed

The James Webb Space Telescope Mission

Twenty-six years ago a small committee report, building on earlier studies, expounded a compelling and poetic vision for the future of astronomy, calling for an infrared-optimized space telescope with an aperture of at least $4m$. With the support of their governments in the US, Europe, and Canada, 20,000 people realized that vision as the $6.5m$ James Webb Space Telescope. A generation of astronomers will celebrate their accomplishments for the life of the mission, potentially as long as 20 years, and beyond. This report and the scientific discoveries that follow are extended thank-you notes to the 20,000 team members. The telescope is working perfectly, with much better image quality than expected. In this and accompanying papers, we give a brief history, describe the observatory, outline its objectives and current observing program, and discuss the inventions and people who made it possible. We cite detailed reports on the design and the measured performance on orbit.Comment: Accepted by PASP for the special issue on The James Webb Space Telescope Overview, 29 pages, 4 figure

Vessel trends and boater education in trans-boundary SRKW Critical Habitat

In 2005, the Southern Resident killer whales were listed as a distinct population and as endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. NOAA Fisheries\u27 Recovery Plan identified disturbance and sound associated with vessels as a primary threat to the Southern Resident killer whales and called for an evaluation of current viewing guidelines and assessment of the need for regulations and/or protected areas. On April 8, 2011, NOAA Fisheries announced vessel regulations to protect Southern Resident killer whales from vessel disturbance. The laws came into effect on May 16th, 2011 and apply to all types of vessels, including motor boats, sail boats, kayaks and paddle boards, in Washington State\u27s inland waters. Since 1998, The Whale Museum’s Soundwatch boater education program has collected data characterizing vessel activities near Southern Resident killer whales. Despite expanded outreach efforts through the trans-boundary Be Whale Wise partnership with Straitwatch and DFO, the implementation of Washington State\u27s vessel laws for killer whales in 2012 and an increased presence of law enforcement on the water, data trends portray vessel operators routinely out of compliance with guidelines and laws and an increase in the number of people whale watching throughout the whales\u27 summer range. The Soundwatch boater education program presentation will highlight these vessel activity trends, show high use zones in the trans-boundary region and the effort to increase boater awareness. Annual data trends are used by the whale watch associations, local, state and federal governments to improve and analyze the guidelines and laws for killer whales

Soundwatch: eighteen years of monitoring whale watch vessel activities in the Salish Sea

The Soundwatch Boater Education Program is a vessel monitoring and public education outreach program. Soundwatch has been run by The Whale Museum (TWM) during the whale watch season (May through September) in the Haro Strait Region of the Central Salish Sea since 1993. Data collection has been in a consistent manner since 1998. The program compiles data on vessel types and vessel interactions with marine mammals with a focus on the Southern Resident killer whale (SRKW), Orcinas orca, which was listed as endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 2005. The primary goal of the Soundwatch program is to reduce vessel disturbance to SRKWs and other marine wildlife through the education of boaters on regional, local and federal guidelines and regulations and the systematic monitoring of vessel activities around cetaceans. Data collection by Soundwatch consists of: 1) Vessel counts within 0.8 km of large species of cetaceans (killer whales, gray whales, minke whales, humpback whales, fin whales, etc); 2) cetacean identification, location, travel direction and behavior; 3) recreational vessel contact information; and 4) vessel non-compliance with local, state and federal guidelines and/or regulations. Since 1998, the number of active commercial whale watching vessels dropped to a low of 63 in 1999, and then reached a peak of 96 in 2015. Overall the number of vessel incidents or violation of regulations and guidelines has increased in the past 18 years from a low of 398 in 1998 to 1635 in 2015 with a high of 2621 in 2012. The number of vessels has not significantly changed over the years while some incidents have significantly increased over time. This result suggests a need for further outreach for effective education and enforcement of whale watching guidelines and regulations in the Central Salish Sea

Familial and other influences in occupational planning.

Pascal's reflection on the chance element in the selection of a career seems to be increasingly applicable to this century in which, paradoxically enough, intellectual activity is geared more than ever before to maximum elimination of the chance element in every field of knowledge and action. Traditional sources of occupational orientation and guidance such as parents, relatives, teachers and friends no longer suffice because the choice of a career has become more and more complex. This complexity is due to increasing differentiation within occupations and to the level of training and skill required to enter many occupations

Enforcement presence versus Education presence on scene with whales from 2011–2015.

<p>Enforcement presence versus Education presence on scene with whales from 2011–2015.</p

Increase in commercial kayaks participating in whale watching activities.

<p>Reprinted from [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0189764#pone.0189764.ref023" target="_blank">23</a>] under a CC BY license, with permission from [The Whale Museum], original copyright [2015].</p