Multi-color imaging of selected southern interacting galaxies

The authors present preliminary results from a study of selected Arp-Madore Southern Hemisphere peculiar galaxies. Broadband charge coupled device (CCD) images (BVRI) of a subset of these galaxies allow us to study each galaxy's optical morphology, color, and (in a crude manner) degree of nuclear activity, and to compare them with similar data we possess on other active galaxies. Many of these galaxies have optical morphologies closely resembling those of powerful radio galaxies (Smith and Heckman 1989), yet their radio emission is unremarkable. Accurate positions for subsequent spectroscopic studies have been determined along with broad band photometry and morphology studies. Detailed observations of these comparatively bright, low-redshift, well-resolved interacting systems should aid our understanding of the role interactions play in triggering galaxy activity. This work is the initial effort in a long term project to study the role played by the dynamics of the interaction in the production and manifestations of activity in galaxies, and the frequency of galaxy mergers

Fishing activity near Wintershall offshore pipelines

On the North Sea bottom lie numerous pipelines to link oil- or gas offshore units, - platforms and processing stations on land. Although pipeline tubes are coated and covered with protective layers (Concrete Weight Coating), the pipelines risk being damaged through man-made threats like fishing activities with bottom trawls (trawling interference), anchoring and dropped objects. IRM Systems performs integrated risk assessments of pipelines for amongst others Wintershall. Spatial maps of fishing activity would contribute to this risk assessment. Therefore, WMR was tasked to quantify the amount of fishing activity in the vicinity of Wintershall pipelines. Fishing activity has been quantified at a spatial scale of approximate 2500 m2 blocks (50m by 50m) using fishing Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) data for 2016 and 2018. In total, for each year 69 shapefiles specifying the fishing intensity in a buffer area of 100m either side of the pipeline, were delivered. The overall total trawl fishing intensity in 2016 and 2018 along the pipeline trajectories ranges from 0 - 18.83 times per grid cell per year and is the result of combining all beam-trawl fleet activities, though split by large beam trawls and shrimp trawls. There is substantial difference in effort between 2016 and 2018 which varies up to 200% for some pipeline segments. Though, at the North Sea scale, fishing has been relatively stable over the past 10 years. Highest fishing intensities are recorded within the 12nm zone where the effort of the shrimp trawlers is most abundant and has increased almost 5-fold in some areas from 2010 and has not come to a halt yet. At the spatial scale relevant in this study, small spatial differences make for substantial differences though

Reduction and analysis of VLA maps for 281 radio-loud quasars using the UNLV Cray Y-MP supercomputer

The identification of distorted radio-loud quasars provides a potentially very powerful tool for basic cosmological studies. If large morphological distortions are correlated with membership of the quasars in rich clusters of galaxies, optical observations can be used to identify rich clusters of galaxies at large redshifts. Hintzen, Ulvestad, and Owen (1983, HUO) undertook a VLA A array snapshot survey at 20 cm of 123 radio-loud quasars, and they found that among triple sources in their sample, 17 percent had radio axes which were bent more than 20 deg and 5 percent were bent more than 40 deg. Their subsequent optical observations showed that excess galaxy densities within 30 arcsec of 6 low-redshift distorted quasars were on average 3 times as great as those around undistorted quasars (Hintzen 1984). At least one of the distorted quasars observed, 3C275.1, apparently lies in the first-ranked galaxy at the center of a rich cluster of galaxies (Hintzen and Romanishin, 1986). Although their sample was small, these results indicated that observations of distorted quasars could be used to identify clusters of galaxies at large redshifts. The purpose of this project is to increase the available sample of distorted quasars to allow optical detection of a significant sample of quasar-associated clusters of galaxies at large redshifts

An examination of the perceptions of the importance and effectiveness of delivery of the North Central Association program functions to Iowa schools

Purposes of this study were to determine among Iowa schools the mean levels of importance and effectiveness of delivery of the four NCA program functions, value of NCA membership to the communities, preferred format for evaluation, intent of individuals to continue NCA membership; and to determine whether relationships exist between the above factors and selected demographic role factors;All Iowa NCA member schools and a stratified random sample of Iowa NCA non-member schools were surveyed by mail. The survey included questions related to demographic role factors and a five-point Likert-type scale on NCA benefits were grouped into four NCA program functions. Member schools attached value to the importance and effectiveness of delivery of NCA\u27s program functions. Non-member schools attached value to importance only;Descriptive statistics and chi square goodness of fit tested the relationships among demographic and role factors, future NCA membership, and the value of NCA membership to the community. Analysis of variance and repeat-measure analyzed differences in the mean levels of importance and effectiveness of delivery when categorized by selected factors;Research findings reveal that NCA\u27s direction aligns with functions perceived to be most important by Iowa schools. However, NCA is delivering the functions at a lower level. Differences in the mean levels of importance were significant within program functions when categorized by district enrollment and the respondent\u27s role among Iowa member schools;An individual\u27s perception of the value of NCA to the community increases with the mean levels of importance and effectiveness of delivery attached to NCA\u27s program function in addition to the individual\u27s prediction of future NCA membership. Only three-fourths of Iowa member and non-member schools and one fifth of Iowa non-member schools predict future NCA membership. Their prediction is more positive as their levels of importance and effectiveness of delivery and their perception of the value of NCA membership to the community become more positive;The traditional format for evaluation is only used by half the respondents from Iowa member schools. However, its use is being replaced by the OUTCOMES and ALTERNATIVE formats

Jack-Mackerel stock assessment simulation

IMARES has been tasked to perform an ICA assessment on a simulated Jack Mackerel dataset. This in order to provide management advice within the SPRFMO framework. The results of the assessments are only briefly discussed, as the Assessment Simulation Task Team mainly focused on agreeing on the underlying simulated dataset and assessment settings during the 8th SPRFMO meeting in Auckland, New Zealand. The summarized outcome of these discussions was that more realistic characteristics of the real fishery and surveys should be incorporated into the simulated dataset. This has been communicated to the designer of the dataset and will result in a revised dataset. CVO (Centrum voor Visserij Onderzoek) has proposed to include the SPRFMO work in the near future into WOT tasks (Wettelijke Onderzoeks Taken). Early 2010 another meeting will be organized in which the Assessment Simulation Task Team will discuss the revised simulated datasets, discuss general assessment settings, perform assessments, compare and discuss these results. The results as listed in this report will be used within these discussions

Systematic design of output filters for audio class-D amplifiers via Simplified Real Frequency Technique

In this paper a new filter design concept is proposed and implemented which takes into account the complex loudspeaker impedance. By means of techniques of broadband matching, that has been successfully applied in radio technology, we are able to optimize the reconstruction filter to achieve an overall linear frequency response. Here, a passive filter network is inserted between source and load that matches the complex load impedance to the complex source impedance within a desired frequency range. The design and calculation of the filter is usually done using numerical approximation methods which are known as Real Frequency Techniques (RFT). A first approach to systematic design of reconstruction filters for class-D amplifiers is proposed, using the Simplified Real Frequency Technique (SRFT). Some fundamental considerations are introduced as well as the benefits and challenges of impedance matching between class-D amplifiers and loudspeakers. Current simulation data using MATLAB is presented and supports some first conclusions

Wide-field direct CCD observations supporting the Astro-1 Space Shuttle mission's Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope

Wide field direct CCD observations are being obtained to support and complement the vacuum-ultraviolet (VUV) images provided by Astro's Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UIT) during a Space Shuttle flight in December 1990. Because of the wide variety of projects addressed by UIT, the fields observed include (1) galactic supernova remnants such as the Cygnus Loop and globular clusters such as Omega Cen and M79; (2) the Magellanic Clouds, M33, M81, and other galaxies in the Local Group; and (3) rich clusters of galaxies, principally the Perseus cluster and Abell 1367. Ground-based observations have been obtained for virtually all of the Astro-1 UIT fields. The optical images allow identification of individual UV sources in each field and provide the long baseline in wavelength necessary for accurate analysis of UV-bright sources. To facilitate use of our optical images for analysis of UIT data and other projects, we plan to archive them, with the UIT images, at the National Space Science Data Center (NSSDC), where they will be universally accessible via anonymous FTP. The UIT, one of three telescopes comprising the Astro spacecraft, is a 38-cm f/9 Ritchey-Chretien telescope on which high quantum efficiency, solar-blind image tubes are used to record VUV images on photographic film. Five filters with passbands centered between 1250A and 2500A provide both VUV colors and a measurement of extinction via the 2200A dust feature. The resulting calibrated VUV pictures are 40 arcminutes in diameter at 2.5 arcseconds resolution. The capabilities of UIT, therefore, complement HST's WFPC: the latter has 40 times greater collecting area, while UIT's usable field has 170 times WFPC's field area

Parachute Science in Hawaiʻi: Assessing Local Connectivity of Hawaiʻi Based Marine and Coastal Research

As a site with some of the highest levels of tropical marine endemism on the planet, the Hawaiian Islands have attracted marine and coastal researchers for decades. Much of this research has been conducted by scientists from outside states or countries, typically with high financial and scientific resources, who travel to Hawaiʻi to collect data and produce results that ultimately fail to circulate back to the communities from which the data was collected. This model of reearch is commonly known as “parachute science” or “colonial science.” Studies of parachute science in other places around the globe show that Indigenous communities typically carry the burden of these extractive research models, while simultaneously stewarding a majority of the worldʻs biodiversity with innovative biocultural techniques. To begin to unravel the historical extent of parachute research in Hawaiʻi, we analyzed the percentage of Hawaiʻi-based versus externally-located authors on coastal and marine research publications using data from Hawaiʻi. While Hawaiʻi-based authorship does not solelly determine whether a project is contributing to extractive science, this pilot effort attempts to determine how research data in Hawaiʻi is utilized, and by whom. We find that while the total amount of research done in the Hawaiian islands has increased over the past 30 years, a majority of this increase derives from an increase in the number of externally-based publications. Hawaiʻi-based authorship has remained relatively constant—and low—over this time period. We will present on the implications of this finding for Hawaiʻi researchers, as well as future directions that explore the potential drivers of these research disparities