NICMOS Observations of the Pre-Main-Sequence Planetary Debris System HD 98800

Spectral energy distributions (SEDs) from 0.4 to 4.7 microns are presented for the two principal stellar components of HD~98800, A and B. The third major component, an extensive planetary debris system (PDS), emits > 20% of the luminosity of star B in a blackbody SED at 164 +/- 5K extending from mid-IR to millimeter-wavelengths. At 0.95 microns a preliminary upper limit of < 0.06 is obtained for the ratio of reflected light to the total from star B. This result limits the albedo of the PDS to < 0.3. Values are presented for the temperature, luminosity, and radius of each major systemic component. Remarkable similarities are found between the PDS and the interplanetary debris system around the Sun as it could have appeared a few million years after its formation.Comment: LaTeX, 9 pages with 1 encapsulated postscript figure and one specially formatted Table which is rendered as a postscript file and included as a figure. Accepted for publication in Astrophysical Journal Letter

Computing and software

The reality is that the statistical methods used for analysis of data depend upon the availability of software. Analysis of marked animal data is no different than the rest of the statistical field. The methods used for analysis are those that are available in reliable software packages. Thus, the critical importance of having reliable, up–to–date software available to biologists is obvious. Statisticians have continued to develop more robust models, ever expanding the suite of potential analysis methods available. But without software to implement these newer methods, they will languish in the abstract, and not be applied to the problems deserving them. In the Computers and Software Session, two new software packages are described, a comparison of implementation of methods for the estimation of nest survival is provided, and a more speculative paper about how the next generation of software might be structured is presented. Rotella et al. (2004) compare nest survival estimation with different software packages: SAS logistic regression, SAS non–linear mixed models, and Program MARK. Nests are assumed to be visited at various, possibly infrequent, intervals. All of the approaches described compute nest survival with the same likelihood, and require that the age of the nest is known to account for nests that eventually hatch. However, each approach offers advantages and disadvantages, explored by Rotella et al. (2004). Efford et al. (2004) present a new software package called DENSITY. The package computes population abundance and density from trapping arrays and other detection methods with a new and unique approach. DENSITY represents the first major addition to the analysis of trapping arrays in 20 years. Barker & White (2004) discuss how existing software such as Program MARK require that each new model’s likelihood must be programmed specifically for that model. They wishfully think that future software might allow the user to combine pieces of likelihood functions together to generate estimates. The idea is interesting, and maybe some bright young statistician can work out the specifics to implement the procedure. Choquet et al. (2004) describe MSURGE, a software package that implements the multistate capture–recapture models. The unique feature of MSURGE is that the design matrix is constructed with an interpreted language called GEMACO. Because MSURGE is limited to just multistate models, the special requirements of these likelihoods can be provided. The software and methods presented in these papers gives biologists and wildlife managers an expanding range of possibilities for data analysis. Although ease–of–use is generally getting better, it does not replace the need for understanding of the requirements and structure of the models being computed. The internet provides access to many free software packages as well as user–discussion groups to share knowledge and ideas. (A starting point for wildlife–related applications is (http://www.phidot.org)

Current Objectives of Canadian Federal Manpower Programs

Cette étude comporte trois parties principales. Dans un premier temps, nous énumérons quelques-unes des causes du nouvel intérêt envers la main-d'oeuvre au Canada durant les années '60. Ces facteurs ou causes sont la responsabilité gouvernementale vis-à-vis la promotion du plein emploi, la récession économique de 1957 à 1961, les changements industriels, occupationnels et démographiques, l'éducation, la formation et la croissance économique, le déclin dans l'immigration, etc.Dans un second temps, nous décrivons et critiquons la structure actuelle et les activités du ministère canadien de la Main-d'oeuvre et de l'Immigration. Nous examinons les programmes fédéraux de main-d'oeuvre administrés par les Centres de main-d'oeuvre du Canada. Ces programmes sont : la formation des adultes, la mobilité géographique, le service consultatif de la main-d'oeuvre, la réhabilitation, le programme d'immigration, les travaux d'hiver et le programme de formation en cours d'emploi.Dans une troisième partie, nous nous penchons sur les objectifs poursuivis par le gouvernement par ces programmes de main-d'oeuvre. Ces objectifs étaient la croissance, une certaine forme de stabilité dans les salaires et les prix et la promotion d'une redistribution équitable du revenu canadien.Nous sommes d'avis que l'emphase mis par les programmes fédéraux de main-d'oeuvre sur la croissance économique et la stabilisation de l'économie est de mauvais aloi. Nous croyons également que le ministère de la Main-d'oeuvre et de l'Immigration n'a pas réussi à entrevoir certains changements dans la composition du marché du travail et que, face à des politiques fiscales contre-productives, les programmes de main-d'oeuvre et leurs objectifs ne peuvent pas, du moins tels qu'originalement conçus, corriger une économie boiteuse.Récemment, le gouvernement fédéral a institué quelques changements dans ses programmes de main-d'oeuvre : on passe de la formation en institution à la formation en cours d'emploi et de l'effort de rencontre d'offre et de demande de travail par les CMC locaux à des programmes de création d'emplois tels les travaux d'hiver. Le ministère de la Main-d'oeuvre et de l'Immigration insiste alors moins sur la croissance économique et met plus d'emphase sur la création d'emplois pour les chômeurs. Avec si peu d'emplois disponibles dans l'économie canadienne, le problème principal n'est pas de remplir des emplois mais d'en créer.In this paper some of the factors leading to renewed interest in Manpower in the 1960's are enumerated ; the present course of Federal Manpower Programs is examined and the objectives of these programs are evaluated. It is suggested that the emphasis of the Federal Manpower Programs on economic growth and stabilization of the economy is misguided ; that the Department of Manpower and Immigration has failed to foresee shifts in labour market composition ; and that in the face of counter-productive fiscal policy, manpower programs and objectives as originally conceived do not have the capability to resurrect a sick economy

The Polarized Spectrum of Apm 08279+5255

We report the discovery of significant linear polarization (p > 1%) in the hyperluminous z=3.87 BALQSO APM~08279+5255. The polarization spectrum is complex, with properties similar to those of other, lower redshift but more highly polarized BALQSOs. The resonance emission lines are unpolarized while the absorption troughs show polarization similar to or higher than the continuum. In particular, an apparent increase of polarization in the trough covering 1000-1030 angstroms (rest) supports the interpretation of this feature as a broad absorption component associated with OVI/Ly_beta local to the QSO, as opposed to an intervening damped Ly_alpha absorption system. The elevated polarization in some of the absorption features implies that we view the scattered (polarized) spectrum through a sightline with less absorbing material than the direct spectrum. Therefore, the complex structure of the polarization spectrum in this brilliant lensed BALQSO suggests that it will be an important laboratory for studying the structure of QSOs at high redshift.Comment: 8 pages, 1 figure. Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal Letter

Local Structure and It's Effect on The Ferromagnetic Properties of La0.5_{0.5}Sr0.5_{0.5}CoO3_3 thin films}

We have used high-resolution Extended X-ray Absorption Fine-Structure and diffraction techniques to measure the local structure of strained La$_{0.5}$Sr$_{0.5}$CoO$_3$ films under compression and tension. The lattice mismatch strain in these compounds affects both the bond lengths and the bond angles, though the larger effect on the bandwidth is due to the bond length changes. The popular double exchange model for ferromagnetism in these compounds provides a correct qualitative description of the changes in Curie temperature $T_C$, but quantitatively underestimates the changes. A microscopic model for ferromagnetism that provides a much stronger dependence on the structural distortions is needed.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure