Survival of the Richest: The Malthusian Mechanism in Pre-Industrial England

Fundamental to the Malthusian model of pre-industrial society is the assumption that higher income increased reproductive success. Despite the seemingly inescapable logic of this model, the empirical support for this vital assumption in the preindustrial world is weak. Here we examine the relationship between income and net fertility using a large new cross-sectional data set on reproductive success, social status and income for England between 1585 and 1638. We find that for early seventeenth century England, a society seemingly close to a Malthusian equilibrium, wealth at death robustly predicts reproductive success. The richest male testators left behind double the number of children of the poorest. Consequently in the static English economy of this period social mobility was generally downwards. The strong association in England between wealth and reproductive success seems to also extend back to at least 1250.england and economy

Designing the Human-Powered Helicopter: A New Perspective

The concept of human-powered vertical flight was studied in great depth. Through the manipulation of preexisting theory and analytical methods, a collection of design tools was created to expediently conceptualize and then analyze virtually any rotor. The tools were then arranged as part of a complete helicopter rotor design process. The lessons learned as a result of studying this process—and the tools of which it consists—are presented in the following discussion. It is the belief of the author that by utilizing these tools, as well as the suggestions that accompany them, future engineers may someday build a human-powered helicopter capable of winning the Sikorsky Prize

Gregory Hamilton, Cello

Kemp Recital Hall Tuesday Evening March 26, 1996 8:00p.m

Movement ecology of resident raccoons in East Tennessee

A study of the movement patterns of resident raccoons (Procyon lotor) in East Tennessee was conducted during 1976 and 1977. Sufficient data were obtained from 9 raccoons to estimate home range size. Average home range size was 157 ha and ranged from 49 ha to 264 ha. Food availability and other habitat differences were thought to have the greatest influence on home range size. Larger home range sizes in the Ridge and Valley Province of the study area were prob-ably the result of the continual shifting of foraging and denning activities between the cornfields and wooded knobs. The sex of the raccoon was also thought to influence home range size. The average home range size of male raccoons was 232 ha and was significantly larger (P \u3c 0.025) than the average home range size of the female (x = 134 ha). Reduction in home range size was observed in 1 female rac-coon after parturition. Harassment by dogs was also sug-gested as a factor influencing movement patterns and home range size. No indication of territories was observed. The area of home range overlap varied from 36.4 ha to 70.1 ha. Habitat utilization and movement patterns were similar in areas of overlap. Diel activity was recorded; the greatest period of activity was between 2000 and 2400 hours. Activity was noted during all periods of the day. Tree species with highest denning utilization were white oak (Q\u3e alba) and northern red (Q\u3eoak rubra) . Average tree den height was 14.7 m and ranged from 7 m to 26 m. Average den tree dbh was 54 cm and ranged from 28 cm to 117 cm. Den cavity measurements that were reported included: height from ground, exposure, external dimen-sions, internal dimensions, and depth of cavity. Den site parameters for 30 trees were recorded. The average distance from tree den to water was 138 m. The average distance from tree den to nearest agricultural land was 237 m. The average distance from tree den to human inhabitance was 1,039 m

A Study of Cyclogenisis in the North of Western Australia

The region of interest in this study is the ocean area to the north of the Western Australian coast; that is, the Timor Sea. It is the tropical cyclones (TC) that generate in this area that most often affect the people and industries located in this region of Western Australia. Accordingly, it is the case that there is a continuing need to improve our understanding of these systems using both observations and numerical models. After an introduction to the problems caused by TCs in the north of Western Australia, a description is made of the study area. A review of the various meteorological systems that can be identified in the tropics is provided. This is followed by a history of research on cyclogenesis. A detailed discussion is undertaken on the current state of knowledge of tropical cyclogenesis. This theoretical understanding subsequently is applied to three case studies. Following a description of the data used and the analysis techniques, the three case studies are presented. In each case study, a system, which later becomes a tropical cyclone, is analysed during the genesis period. The three case studies examined in this thesis are, case 1 (TC Tim, 1994), case 2 (TC Elaine, 1999) and case 3 (TC Isobel, 1996). In each case, the system was studied for at least 10 days prior to it being named. This approach was adopted to ensure that any potential development was not overlooked. A system is named when it reaches sufficient intensity for gale force winds to exist in all quadrants around the centre of that system. For each case, the environment in the vicinity of the location where the system was initially identified was studied until an evolving system was identified. Monitoring of the system continued until it was named.Observations from the Geostationary Meteorological Satellite and the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program comprised the physical data set. In parallel with this data collection activity, meteorological products from a numerical model were catalogued over the same time interval. The thesis presents comparisons of the satellite products and the model output over the study period. In part, motivated by the outcomes of this comparison, it was determined to investigate further prospects for using the array of satellite-derived products that might be more appropriate for use as a forecasting support tool. Finally, as an example, a prototype index is proposed which has potential to demonstrate the degree of development of a system. In this work, for want of a name, this index is termed the Hamilton Index (HI). It uses meteorological products derived from the microwave DMSP series of satellites and provides a temporal sequence of values of the index that are applied to monitor the developing of the TC systems in the three case studies. The meteorological variables used in the index were selected because they were accepted indicators of tropical cyclogenesis identified in the research literature. When applied to the three case studies, the HI showed a significant improvement in sensitivity to the state of development of the systems, especially when compared to the computer model data examined for the case studies

The origins of solo cello literature and performance

An investigation into the origins of cello repertory and performance explores territory that is unfamiliar to most musicians. Scholarly research has contributed admirably to our understanding of how the cello began and what factors led to its development, but few sources have brought together what is known about the origins of the instrument and its repertory. This document is an attempt to address this problem after examining many dissertations, music dictionaries, books, articles, and sound recordings. Whenever practical, musical scores were obtained for examination and subsequent performances of these works occurred at Illinois State University and the University of Kansas. Once this research was begun, it was clear that the origin of cello literature and performance was concentrated within a specific region of Italy, involving a reasonably small number of musicians. Although many early works for solo cello remain unpublished and only available at libraries in Italy, those that are readily available demonstrate a virtuosity and sophistication that reflects the musical activity that was occurring in Italy at that time