The Stability of Planets in the Alpha Centauri system

This paper investigates the long-term orbital stability of small bodies near the central binary of the Alpha Centauri system. Test particles on circular orbits are integrated in the field of this binary for 32000 binary periods or approximately 2.5 Myr. In the region exterior to the binary, particles with semi-major axes less than roughly three times the binary's semi-major axis are unstable. Inside the binary, particles are unstable if further than 0.2 binary semimajor axes from the primary, with stablility closer in a strong function of inclination: orbits inclined near 90 degrees are unstable in as close as 0.01 binary semimajor axes from either star.Comment: 13 pages, 6 Postscript figures (uses psfig.sty

Developing a multi-pollutant conceptual framework for the selection and targeting of interventions in water industry catchment management schemes

In recent years water companies have started to adopt catchment management to reduce diffuse pollution in drinking water supply areas. The heterogeneity of catchments and the range of pollutants that must be removed to meet the EU Drinking Water Directive (98/83/EC) limits make it difficult to prioritise areas of a catchment for intervention. Thus conceptual frameworks are required that can disaggregate the components of pollutant risk and help water companies make decisions about where to target interventions in their catchments to maximum effect. This paper demonstrates the concept of generalising pollutants in the same framework by reviewing key pollutant processes within a source-mobilisation-delivery context. From this, criteria are developed (with input from water industry professionals involved in catchment management) which highlights the need for a new water industry specific conceptual framework. The new CaRPoW (Catchment Risk to Potable Water) framework uses the Source-Mobilisation-Delivery concept as modular components of risk that work at two scales, source and mobilisation at the field scale and delivery at the catchment scale. Disaggregating pollutant processes permits the main components of risk to be ascertained so that appropriate interventions can be selected. The generic structure also allows for the outputs from different pollutants to be compared so that potential multiple benefits can be identified. CaRPow provides a transferable framework that can be used by water companies to cost-effectively target interventions under current conditions or under scenarios of land use or climate change

HEAVY-TAILED DISTRIBUTIONS AND THE CANADIAN STOCK MARKET RETURNS

Many of financial engineering theories are based on so-called “complete markets” and on the use of the Black-Scholes formula. The formula relies on the assumption that asset prices follow a log-normal distribution, or in other words, the daily fluctuations in prices viewed as percentage changes follow a Gaussian distribution. On the contrary, studies of actual asset prices show that they do not follow a log-normal distribution. In this paper, we investigate several widely-used heavy-tailed distributions. Our results indicate that the Skewed t distribution has the best empirical performance in fitting the Canadian stock market returns. We claim the results are valuable for market participants and the financial industry

Historical Cattle and Beef Prices, Seasonal Patterns, and Futures Basis for Nebraska, 1960-2001

Prices for different classes of feeder steers and heifers, slaughter steers and heifers, slaughter cows and bulls are reported in Tables 1-23. These prices are analyzed in the text of this publication. Discounts and premiums for various weights, grades and sex are identified. Each price series is analyzed to determine long term price trends and seasonal patterns. Stocker, feeder and live cattle basis are calculated using USDA monthly average reported cash prices and the monthly average futures prices, Tables 14- 15, 23. Carcass cut-out values are reported in Tables 24-26

Historical Crop Prices, Seasonal Patterns, and Futures Basis for the Nebraska Panhandle 1983-2001

There are several economically significant crops grown in the Nebraska Panhandle. There are, collectively, in excess of 3 million acres in corn, wheat, sorghum, proso millet, dry edible beans, sunflowers, alfalfa hay, and other specialty crops in the area. There are some unique geographic, ecological and demographic features that influence crop prices in the area. This publication provides a basic price analysis for the crops in the Nebraska Panhandle to help growers to be able to make informed marketing and production decisions. Wheat and corn are the two largest crops in terms of acreage in the region, followed by alfalfa hay. Wheat and corn are both traded on the futures market and we compare local cash prices to national futures prices to establish local basis. The remaining crops (sorghum, proso millet, dry beans, sunflowers, and alfalfa hay) do not have an underlying futures contract and in some cases there is limited price information available. The price analysis has been done using regional prices for all crops where such data is available. The goal of this publication is to show what has happened to the prices of these commodities over time and to identify predictable seasonal patterns. Average annual prices for all listed crops except Great Northern beans were higher in 2000-2001 than in the previous year. This has increased the five year average prices across all the crops and reversed a two year trend

Historical Cattle and Beef Prices, Seasonal Patterns, and Futures Basis for Nebraska, 1960-2000

Prices for different classes of feeder steers and heifers, slaughter steers and heifers, slaughter cows and bulls are reported in Tables 1-23. These prices are analyzed in the text of this publication. Discounts and premiums for various weights, grades and sex are identified. Each price series is analyzed to determine long term price trends and seasonal patterns. Stocker, feeder and live cattle basis are calculated using USDA monthly average reported cash prices and the monthly average futures prices, Tables 14- 15, 23. Carcass cut-out values are reported in Tables 24-26

Naval Force Planning Cases: Organizing Our Thoughts and Weighing Alternatives

At the highest level, a nation\u27s grand strategy influences its choice of naval forces. So, in turn, do military and maritime strategies. Each supports the higher order strategy while providing further insight into specific forces required

Historical Crop Prices, Seasonal Patterns, and Futures Basis for the Nebraska Panhandle 1983-2000

Corn Wheat Proso Millet Sorghum Sunflowers Alfalfa Hay Dry Beans Pinto Great Northern There are several economically significant crops grown in the Nebraska Panhandle. There are, collectively, in excess of 2 million acres in corn, wheat, sorghum, proso millet, dry edible beans, sunflowers, and alfalfa hay in the area. There are some unique geographic, ecological and demographic features that influence crop prices in the area. This publication provides a basic price analysis for the crops in the Nebraska Panhandle to help growers to be able to make informed marketing and production decisions. Wheat and corn are the two largest crops in terms of acreage in the region, followed by alfalfa hay. Wheat and corn are both traded on the futures market and we compare local cash prices to national futures prices to establish local basis. The remaining crops ( sorghum, proso millet, dry beans, sunflowers, and alfalfa hay) do not have an underlying futures contract and in some cases there is limited price information available. The price analysis has been done using regional prices for all crops where such data is available. The goal of this publication is to show what has happened to the prices of these commodities over time and to identify predictable seasonal patterns. Average annual prices for all listed crops were lower in 1999-2000 than in the previous year. This has lowered the five year average prices across all the crops for the second consecutive year