Ion energy measurements on MAST using a midplane RFEA

Ion energy measurements have been made in the scrape off layer of the Mega Amp Spherical Tokamak (MAST) using a midplane retarding field energy analyser (RFEA) in H-mode plasmas during the inter-edge localised mode (ELM) period and during type I and type III ELMs. During the inter-ELM period at distances of 3 to 8 cm from the last closed flux surface (LCFS), ion temperatures of 20 to 70 eV have been measured giving an ion to electron temperature ratio of 2 to 7 with a mean of 4. During type III ELMs, an ion temperature of 50 eV has been measured 3 to 6 cm from the LCFS which decreases to 30 eV at distances 11 to 16 cm from the LCFS. During type I ELMs, an ion temperature of 40 eV has been measured at a distance of 10 to 15 cm from the LCFS.Comment: 15 pages, 5 figure

RUSSIA’S CONTRADICTORY ARCTIC STRATEGIES: COOPERATION, CONFLICT, AND EVERYTHING IN-BETWEEN

Arctic lands and waters are continuing to thaw with each passing decade, and the increasing interest in the economic, strategic, and transit potential of the “High North” is shaping the region into an arena of rising competition. This thesis seeks to answer the following question: What do Russia’s ambitious economic ventures, military buildup, and increasingly aggressive posture in the Arctic indicate regarding its intentions in the region? To address this puzzle, the thesis examines three hypotheses, rooted in different interpretations of Russian behavior in the region. The first hypothesis reflects Moscow’s claims that its military buildup is purely defensive and aimed to protect Russian economic and security interests in the Arctic. The second hypothesis asserts that Russia is striving to push out other competitors and become the regional hegemon in the Arctic. The third proposition is that Moscow’s Arctic efforts are primarily geared to gain access to new resource rents and to distract Russia’s population from domestic grievances, advancing the ruling regime’s hold on power. Tracing Russian actions in the region, the thesis finds that its posture in the Arctic is most consistent with the third, regime preservation motive, which may make Moscow’s future behavior particularly volatile.Captain, United States Air ForceApproved for public release. Distribution is unlimited

Emotional Recogition Ability among Incarcerated Youth

The purpose of this study was to consider emotional recognition ability among incarcerated youth. Specifically, thirty-eight inmates who were eligible for a Free and Appropriate Education (FAPE) under New York State law participated in the study. Participants were administered Ekman\u27s facial discrimination task (1976), the Sociomoral Reflection Measure-Short Form (SRM-SF; Gibbs, Basinger, &Fuller, 1992), and an Emotional Intelligence Survey (Schutte et al., 1998). Results showed the incarcerated youth were less accurate in identifying emotions from facial expressions than were non-incarcerated young adults. Further, incarcerated youth with identified learning disabilities were even less accurate in their ability to recognize emotions than those juvenile offenders without a learning disability. Racial differences in emotional recognition were observed as well. Correlational analysis revealed that social perspective taking was related to the recognition of some of the emotions, as was emotional intelligence

How Long Will it Take Corn to Emerge?

It’s an understatement to say that March in Iowa was much warmer than normal (Figure 1). Although only a few record high daily temperatures were set, the average monthly temperature set a new record by a substantial margin. The consistent warm weather encouraged a few to plant corn as early as mid-March.Soil temperatures state-wide reached 50 F by March 15. Although not a first historically, it was a full month before soils normally warm to 50 F at the 4 inch depth

Observations and modeling of the early acceleration phase of erupting filaments involved in coronal mass ejections

We examine the early phases of two near-limb filament destabilization involved in coronal mass ejections on 16 June and 27 July 2005, using high-resolution, high-cadence observations made with the Transition Region and Coronal Explorer (TRACE), complemented by coronagraphic observations by Mauna Loa and the SOlar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO). The filaments' heights above the solar limb in their rapid-acceleration phases are best characterized by a height dependence h(t) ~ t^m with m near, or slightly above, 3 for both events. Such profiles are incompatible with published results for breakout, MHD-instability, and catastrophe models. We show numerical simulations of the torus instability that approximate this height evolution in case a substantial initial velocity perturbation is applied to the developing instability. We argue that the sensitivity of magnetic instabilities to initial and boundary conditions requires higher fidelity modeling of all proposed mechanisms if observations of rise profiles are to be used to differentiate between them. The observations show no significant delays between the motions of the filament and of overlying loops: the filaments seem to move as part of the overall coronal field until several minutes after the onset of the rapid-acceleration phase.Comment: ApJ (2007, in press

August 2011 Iowa Corn Yield Forecast

USDA released the first corn yield forecast for 2011 on Aug. 11. Forecast U.S. yields of 153 bushels per acre are similar to last years\u27 and six bushels below the 30-year trend line (Figure 1). This is not surprising. On the other hand, Iowa’s forecast of 177 bushels per acre matches that of the 30-year trend line and lies 12 bushels above last year’s final yield estimate. This, if realized, would rank third highest behind 2004 (181) and 2009 (182) bushels per acre for Iowa. This seems unlikely

Analog Years for Weather Forecasting and Correlating Corn Planting Dates with Yield in Iowa

As of May 12, 15 percent of Iowa’s corn was planted (USDA-NASS). This is a slower pace than what Iowan’s experienced even in the flood year, 1993, when 20 percent was planted at this time in May. The 8 percent planted before May 5 was subjected to dramatic soil temperature changes as well as up to a foot of snow in parts of Iowa. Many Integrated Crop Management News articles, blogs, Twitter posts, and other media document spring 2013 conditions and concerns

Soil Moisture Conditions and Crop Water Use

Soil moisture during the growing season is essential to obtain optimal yield. Optimal yield is affected by the availability of moisture as stored water in the soil profile or timely recharge during rain events. Soil texture, tillage practices, residue cover, drainage and weed control can play a significant role in soil moisture availability. Generally, the no-till system is the most effective practice in conserving soil moisture among other tillage systems, especially during dry periods in rain-fed agricultural areas