Regional agriculture surveys using ERTS-1 data

The Center for Remote Sensing Research has conducted studies designed to evaluate the potential application of ERTS data in performing agricultural inventories, and to develop efficient methods of data handling and analysis useful in the operational context for performing large area surveys. This work has resulted in the development of an integrated system utilizing both human and computer analysis of ground, aerial, and space imagery, which has been shown to be very efficient for regional crop acreage inventories. The technique involves: (1) the delineation of ERTS images into relatively homogeneous strata by human interpreters, (2) the point-by-point classification of the area within each strata on the basis of crop type using a human/machine interactive digital image processing system; and (3) a multistage sampling procedure for the collection of supporting aerial and ground data used in the adjustment and verification of the classification results

Testing Einstein's time dilation under acceleration using M\"ossbauer spectroscopy

The Einstein time dilation formula was tested in several experiments. Many trials have been made to measure the transverse second order Doppler shift by M\"{o}ssbauer spectroscopy using a rotating absorber, to test the validity of this formula. Such experiments are also able to test if the time dilation depends only on the velocity of the absorber, as assumed by Einstein's clock hypothesis, or the present centripetal acceleration contributes to the time dilation. We show here that the fact that the experiment requires $\gamma$-ray emission and detection slits of finite size, the absorption line is broadened; by geometric longitudinal first order Doppler shifts immensely. Moreover, the absorption line is non-Lorenzian. We obtain an explicit expression for the absorption line for any angular velocity of the absorber. The analysis of the experimental results, in all previous experiments which did not observe the full absorption line itself, were wrong and the conclusions doubtful. The only proper experiment was done by K\"{u}ndig (Phys. Rev. 129 (1963) 2371), who observed the broadening, but associated it to random vibrations of the absorber. We establish necessary conditions for the successful measurement of a transverse second order Doppler shift by M\"{o}ssbauer spectroscopy. We indicate how the results of such an experiment can be used to verify the existence of a Doppler shift due to acceleration and to test the validity of Einstein's clock hypothesis.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figure

Efeito da irrigação no estabelecimento de plântulas de Manduvi transplantadas Em pastagens cultivadas.

O esforço para a conservação da arara-azul no Pantanal deve enfocar a manutenção de populações viáveis de Manduvi. Caso seja diagnosticado que o recrutamento populacional de Manduvi desta árvore no Pantanal é insatisfatório para a reposição de adultos, torna-se urgente o desenvolvimento de um programa de manejo e conservação de populações de Manduvi. Neste sentido, este trabalho investigou o estabelecimento de plântulas de Manduvi, com 60 dias de semeadura, transplantadas em pastagens cultivadas, que substituíram a vegetação original na área da fazenda Nhumirim. The effort to conserve hyacinth macaws in the Pantanal should focus on the maintenance of viable populations of Manduvi. If it is diagnosed that the recruitment of this tree population in the Pantanal is unsatisfactory for the replacement of adults, it becomes urgent to develop a program management and conservation of populations of Manduvi. Thus, this study investigated the establishment of seedlings of Manduvi, with 60 days of sowing, transplanting in cultivated pastures, which replaced the original vegetation in the area of the Nhumirim Farm

Late Miocene to early Pliocene stratigraphic record in northern Taranaki Basin: Condensed sedimentation ahead of Northern Graben extension and progradation of the modern continental margin

The middle Pliocene-Pleistocene progradation of the Giant Foresets Formation in Taranaki Basin built up the modern continental margin offshore from western North Island. The late Miocene to early Pliocene interval preceding this progradation was characterised in northern Taranaki Basin by the accumulation of hemipelagic mudstone (Manganui Formation), volcaniclastic sediments (Mohakatino Formation), and marl (Ariki Formation), all at bathyal depths. The Manganui Formation has generally featureless wireline log signatures and moderate to low amplitude seismic reflection characteristics. Mohakatino Formation is characterised by a sharp decrease in the GR log value at its base, a blocky GR log motif reflecting sandstone packets, and erratic resistivity logs. Seismic profiles show bold laterally continuous reflectors. The Ariki Formation has a distinctive barrel-shaped to blocky GR log motif. This signature is mirrored by the SP log and often by an increase in resistivity values through this interval. The Ariki Formation comprises (calcareous) marl made up of abundant planktic foraminifera, is 109 m thick in Ariki-1, and accumulated over parts of the Western Stable Platform and beneath the fill of the Northern Graben. It indicates condensed sedimentation reflecting the distance of the northern region from the contemporary continental margin to the south

A theory of intense-field dynamic alignment and high harmonic generation from coherently rotating molecules and interpretation of intense-field ultrafast pump-probe experiments

A theory of ultra-fast pump-probe experiments proposed by us earlier [F.H.M. Faisal et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 143001 (2007) and F.H.M. Faisal and A. Abdurrouf, Phys. Rev. Lett. 100, 123005 (2008)] is developed here fully and applied to investigate the phenomena of dynamic alignment and high harmonic generation (HHG) from coherently rotating linear molecules. The theory provides essentially analytical results for the signals that allow us to investigate the simultaneous dependence of the HHG signals on the two externally available control parameters, namely, the relative angle between the polarizations, and the delay-time between the two pulses. It is applied to investigate the characteristics of high harmonic emission from nitrogen and oxygen molecules that have been observed experimentally in a number of laboratories. The results obtained both in the time-domain and in the frequency-domain are compared with the observed characteristics as well as directly with the data and are found to agree remarkably well. In addition we have predicted the existence of a "magic" polarization angle at which all modulations of the harmonic emission from nitrogen molecule changes to a steady emission at the harmonic frequency. Among other things we have also shown a correlation between the existence of the "magic" or critical polarization angles and the symmetry of the active molecular orbitals, that is deemed to be useful in connection with the "inverse problem" of molecular imaging from the HHG data.Comment: 31 pages, 22 figures, and 140 equation

The Wicked Machinery of Government: Malta and the Problems of Continuity under the New Model Administration

This is a study focused on the early years of British rule in Malta (1800-1813). It explores the application to the island of the “new model” of colonial government, one based on direct rule from London mediated by the continuation of existing laws and institutions. Systemic deficiencies are identified. These tended to undermine the effectiveness of direct British rule. This study also reveals, in the context of legal and constitutional continuity, unresolved tensions between modernity and tradition. The political stability of the island was damaged and the possibility of continued British possession was threatened