A climatically-derived global soil moisture data set for use in the GLAS atmospheric circulation model seasonal cycle experiment

Algorithms for point interpolation and contouring on the surface of the sphere and in Cartesian two-space are developed from Shepard's (1968) well-known, local search method. These mapping procedures then are used to investigate the errors which appear on small-scale climate maps as a result of the all-too-common practice of of interpolating, from irregularly spaced data points to the nodes of a regular lattice, and contouring Cartesian two-space. Using mean annual air temperatures field over the western half of the northern hemisphere is estimated both on the sphere, assumed to be correct, and in Cartesian two-space. When the spherically- and Cartesian-approximted air temperature fields are mapped and compared, the magnitudes (as large as 5 C to 10 C) and distribution of the errors associated with the latter approach become apparent

Geology of the Snap Lake kimberlite intrusion, Northwest Territories, Canada: field observations and their interpretation

The Cambrian (523 Ma) Snap Lake hypabyssal kimberlite intrusion, Northwest Territories, Canada, is a complex segmented diamond-bearing ore-body. Detailed geological investigations suggest that the kimberlite is a multi-phase intrusion with at least four magmatic lithofacies. In particular, olivine-rich (ORK) and olivine-poor (OPK) varieties of hypabyssal kimberlite have been identified. Key observations are that the olivine-rich lithofacieshas a strong tendency to be located where the intrusion is thickest and that there is a good correlation between intrusion thickness, olivine crystal size and crystal content. Heterogeneities in the lithofacies are attributed to variations in intrusion thickness and structural complexities. The geometry and distribution of lithofacies points to magmaticco-intrusion, and flow segregation driven by fundamental rheological differences between the two phases. We envisage that the low-viscosity OPK magma acted as a lubricant for the highly viscous ORK magma. The presenceof such low-viscosity, crystal-poor magmas may explain how crystal-laden kimberlite magmas (>60 vol.%) are able to reach the surface during kimberlite eruptions. We also document the absence of crystal settling and the development of an unusual subvertical fabric of elongate olivine crystals, which are explained by rapid degassing-induced quench crystallization of the magmas during and after intrusio

Satellite versus ground-based estimates of burned area: a comparison between MODIS based burned area and fire agency reports over North America in 2007

North American wildfire management teams routinely assess burned area on site during firefighting campaigns; meanwhile, satellite observations provide systematic and global burned-area data. Here we compare satellite and ground-based daily burned area for wildfire events for selected large fires across North America in 2007 on daily timescales. In a sample of 26 fires across North America, we found the Global Fire Emissions Database Version 4 (GFED4) estimated about 80% of the burned area logged in ground-based Incident Status Summary (ICS-209) over 8-day analysis windows. Linear regression analysis found a slope between GFED and ICS-209 of 0.67 (with R = 0.96). The agreement between these data sets was found to degrade at short timescales (from R = 0.81 for 4-day to R = 0.55 for 2-day). Furthermore, during large burning days (> 3000 ha) GFED4 typically estimates half of the burned area logged in the ICS-209 estimates

To What Extent Is the Thrive Intervention Grounded in Research and Theory?

The Thrive approach is an assessment and planning based intervention that aims to develop children’s social and emotional wellbeing. Despite the increased popularity of Thrive, there is limited research that has investigated its effectiveness. After reviewing the assessment, training and intervention elements of Thrive and the evidence base for the underpinning assumptions, this article considers the evaluative research. Thrive is rooted in attachment theory and assumes that infant development is vulnerable to disruption by poor attachment experiences and that these disruptions can be ameliorated in later life through the development of secure relationships with school staff. The article concludes that, while Thrive is based on attachment theory, which itself is well supported by evidence, how Thrive applies and interprets this theory is less well supported. There is currently limited evidence of the impact of Thrive on children’s development. Other issues and implications of this critique are also discussed. This research was completed as part of the Doctorate in Educational Psychology at University of Southampton

Strategy towards Mirror-fermion Signatures

The existence of mirror fermions interacting strongly under a new gauge group and having masses near the electroweak scale has been recently proposed as a viable alternative to the standard-model Higgs mechanism. The main purpose of this work is to investigate which specific experimental signals are needed to clearly differentiate the mirror-fermion model from other new-physics models. In particular, the case is made for a future large lepton collider with c.o.m. energies of roughly 4 TeV or higher.Comment: 30 Latex pages, 2 postscript figure

Rare Decay of the Top t -> cgg in the Standard Model

We calculate the one-loop flavor changing neutral current top quark decay t -> cgg in the Standard Model. We demonstrate that the rate for t -> cgg exceeds the rate for a single gluon emission t -> cg by about two orders of magnitude, while the rate for t -> cq barq (q=u) is slightly smaller than for t -> cg.Comment: 22 pages, 4 figures and 2 tables. Typo in Eq.2.1 corrected, text slightly modified, references added. Version to appear in Phys.Rev.

Phenomenology of the Flavor-Asymmetry in the Light-Quark Sea of the Nucleon

A phenomenological ansatz for the flavor-asymmetry of the light sea distributions of the nucleon, based on the Pauli exclusion principle, is proposed. This ansatz is compatible with the measured flavor-asymmetry of the unpolarized sea distributions, $\bar{d}>\bar{u}$, of the nucleon. A prediction for the corresponding polarized flavor-asymmetry is presented and shown to agree with predictions of (chiral quark--soliton) models which successfully reproduced the flavor-asymmetry of the unpolarized sea.Comment: 5 pages, LaTeX, 2 figures, uses epsfi

Sputtering of Oxygen Ice by Low Energy Ions

Naturally occurring ices lie on both interstellar dust grains and on celestial objects, such as those in the outer solar system. These ices are continu- ously subjected to irradiation by ions from the solar wind and/or cosmic rays, which modify their surfaces. As a result, new molecular species may form which can be sputtered off into space or planetary atmospheres. We determined the experimental values of sputtering yields for irradiation of oxygen ice at 10 K by singly (He+, C+, N+, O+ and Ar+) and doubly (C2+, N2+ and O2+) charged ions with 4 keV kinetic energy. In these laboratory experiments, oxygen ice was deposited and irradiated by ions in an ultra high vacuum chamber at low temperature to simulate the environment of space. The number of molecules removed by sputtering was observed by measurement of the ice thickness using laser interferometry. Preliminary mass spectra were taken of sputtered species and of molecules formed in the ice by temperature programmed desorption (TPD). We find that the experimental sputtering yields increase approximately linearly with the projectile ion mass (or momentum squared) for all ions studied. No difference was found between the sputtering yield for singly and doubly charged ions of the same atom within the experimental uncertainty, as expected for a process dominated by momentum transfer. The experimental sputter yields are in good agreement with values calculated using a theoretical model except in the case of oxygen ions. Preliminary studies have shown molecular oxygen as the dominant species sputtered and TPD measurements indicate ozone formation.Comment: to be published in Surface Science (2015

Transverse and longitudinal momentum spectra of fermions produced in strong SU(2) fields

We study the transverse and longitudinal momentum spectra of fermions produced in a strong, time-dependent non-Abelian SU(2) field. Different time-dependent field strengths are introduced. The momentum spectra are calculated for the produced fermion pairs in a kinetic model. The obtained spectra are similar to the Abelian case, and they display exponential or polynomial behaviour at high p_T, depending on the given time dependence. We investigated different color initial conditions and discuss the recognized scaling properties for both Abelian and SU(2) cases.Comment: 10 pages, 11 figures; version accepted to PR