Comparative Commercial Law of Egypt and the Arabian Gulf

Middle East countries have approached the problem of reforming civil and commercial laws by adopting laws which purportedly suit the needs of a modern, industrial society. This note will examine the countries of the Arabian peninsula, particularly Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia, while making passing references to Jordan, Syria, Iraq, and Egypt. The thesis of the paper is that Egypt exercised and still continues to exercise a predominant position, practically, legislatively, and jurisprudentially in the Middle East, and particularly the Arabian peninsula. Consequently, the development and reform of civil and commercial law in the Middle East (at least in the countries mentioned above) is based on a mixture of European civil law and Shari\u27a, with little common law

Edge Employment Solutions : Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia : job audit report, 2006

The Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia (DAFWA) have been working in collaboration with EDGE Employment Solutions to identify the work opportunities that lie within the Department for people with disabilities. Based on the Equal Employment Opportunity Act 1987 (EEOA), the DAFWA have set a target of increasing their rate of employment of individuals with disabilities to constitute 4% of their entire workforce. Currently, persons\u27 with a mild to moderate disability form 1.7% of the Public Sector. The role of EDGE Employment Solutions pertaining to this project was to develop a matrix that would include the key roles within the DAFWA, the functional capacity required for each role, and the relevant types of disabilities chat may be taken into consideration when employing new staff

SHELS: Testing Weak Lensing Maps with Redshift Surveys

Weak lensing surveys are emerging as an important tool for the construction of "mass selected" clusters of galaxies. We evaluate both the efficiency and completeness of a weak lensing selection by combining a dense, complete redshift survey, the Smithsonian Hectospec Lensing Survey (SHELS), with a weak lensing map from the Deep Lens Survey (DLS). SHELS includes 11,692 redshifts for galaxies with R < 20.6 in the four square degree DLS field; the survey is a solid basis for identifying massive clusters of galaxies with redshift z < 0.55. The range of sensitivity of the redshift survey is similar to the range for the DLS convergence map. Only four the twelve convergence peaks with signal-to-noise > 3.5 correspond to clusters of galaxies with M > 1.7 x 10^14 solar masses. Four of the eight massive clusters in SHELS are detected in the weak lensing map yielding a completeness of roughly 50%. We examine the seven known extended cluster x-ray sources in the DLS field: three can be detected in the weak lensing map, three should not be detected without boosting from superposed large-scale structure, and one is mysteriously undetected even though its optical properties suggest that it should produce a detectable lensing signal. Taken together, these results underscore the need for more extensive comparisons among different methods of massive cluster identification.Comment: 34 pages, 16 figures, ApJ accepte

13CO and C18O emission from a dense gas disc at z = 2.3: abundance variations, cosmic rays and the initial conditions for star formation

We analyse the spectral line energy distributions of 13CO and C18O for the J = 1→0 up to J = 7→6 transitions in the gravitationally lensed ultraluminous infrared galaxy SMM J2135−0102 at z = 2.3. This is the first detection of 13CO and C18O in a high-redshift star-forming galaxy. These data comprise observations of six transitions taken with Plateau de Bure Interferometer and we combine these with ∼33 GHz Jansky Very Large Array data and our previous spatially resolved 12CO and continuum emission information to better constrain the properties of the interstellar medium (ISM) within this system. We study both the velocity-integrated and kinematically decomposed properties of the galaxy and coupled with a large velocity gradient (LVG) model we find that the star-forming regions in the system vary in their cold gas properties, in particular in their chemical abundance ratios. We find strong C18O emission both in the velocity-integrated emission and in the two kinematic components at the periphery of the system, where the C18O line flux is equivalent to or higher than the 13CO. We derive an average velocity-integrated flux ratio of 13CO/C18O ∼ 1 which suggests an abundance ratio of [13CO]/[C18O] which is at least seven times lower than that in the Milky Way. This is suggestive of enhanced C18O abundance, perhaps indicating star formation preferentially biased to high-mass stars. We estimate the relative contribution to the ISM heating from cosmic rays and UV of (30–3300) × 10−25 erg s−1 and 45 × 10−25 erg s−1 per H2 molecule respectively and find them to be comparable to the total cooling rate of (0.8–20) × 10−25 erg s−1 from the CO. However, our LVG models indicate high (>100 K) temperatures and densities (>103) cm−3 in the ISM which may suggest that cosmic rays play a more important role than UV heating in this system. If cosmic rays dominate the heating of the ISM, the increased temperature in the star-forming regions may favour the formation of massive stars and so explain the enhanced C18O abundance. This is a potentially important result for a system which may evolve into a local elliptical galaxy

Portable gas chromatography–mass spectrometry method for the in‑feld screening of organic pollutants in soil and water at pollution incidents

Environmental pollution incidents generate an emergency response from regulatory agencies to ensure that the impact on the environment is minimised. Knowing what pollutants are present provides important intelligence to assist in determining how to respond to the incident. However, responders are limited in their in-feld capabilities to identify the pollutants present. This research has developed an in-feld, qualitative analytical approach to detect and identify organic pollutants that are commonly detected by regulatory environmental laboratories. A rapid, in-feld extraction method was used for water and soil matrices. A coiled microextraction (CME) device was utilised for the introduction of the extracted samples into a portable gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) for analysis. The total combined extraction and analysis time was approximately 6.5 min per sample. Results demonstrated that the in-feld extraction and analysis methods can screen for ffty-nine target organic contaminants, including polyaromatic hydrocarbons, monoaromatic hydrocarbons, phenols, phthalates, organophosphorus pesticides, and organochlorine pesticides. The method was also capable of tentatively identifying unknown compounds using library searches, signifcantly expanding the scope of the methods for the provision of intelligence at pollution incidents of an unknown nature, although a laboratory-based method was able to provide more information due to the higher sensitivity achievable. The methods were evaluated using authentic casework samples and were found to be ft-for-purpose for providing rapid in-feld intelligence at pollution incidents. The fact that the in-feld methods target the same compounds as the laboratory-based methods provides the added beneft that the in-feld results can assist in sample triaging upon submission to the laboratory for quantitation and confrmatory analysis

The XMM Cluster Survey: The interplay between the brightest cluster galaxy and the intra-cluster medium via AGN feedback

Using a sample of 123 X-ray clusters and groups drawn from the XMM-Cluster Survey first data release, we investigate the interplay between the brightest cluster galaxy (BCG), its black hole, and the intra-cluster/group medium (ICM). It appears that for groups and clusters with a BCG likely to host significant AGN feedback, gas cooling dominates in those with Tx > 2 keV while AGN feedback dominates below. This may be understood through the sub-unity exponent found in the scaling relation we derive between the BCG mass and cluster mass over the halo mass range 10^13 < M500 < 10^15Msol and the lack of correlation between radio luminosity and cluster mass, such that BCG AGN in groups can have relatively more energetic influence on the ICM. The Lx - Tx relation for systems with the most massive BCGs, or those with BCGs co-located with the peak of the ICM emission, is steeper than that for those with the least massive and most offset, which instead follows self-similarity. This is evidence that a combination of central gas cooling and powerful, well fuelled AGN causes the departure of the ICM from pure gravitational heating, with the steepened relation crossing self-similarity at Tx = 2 keV. Importantly, regardless of their black hole mass, BCGs are more likely to host radio-loud AGN if they are in a massive cluster (Tx > 2 keV) and again co-located with an effective fuel supply of dense, cooling gas. This demonstrates that the most massive black holes appear to know more about their host cluster than they do about their host galaxy. The results lead us to propose a physically motivated, empirical definition of 'cluster' and 'group', delineated at 2 keV.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS - replaced to match corrected proo

The Las Campanas/AAT Rich Cluster Survey III: Spectroscopic Studies of X-ray Bright Galaxy Clusters at z~0.1

[abridged] We present the analysis of the spectroscopic and photometric catalogues of 11 X-ray luminous clusters at z=0.07-0.16 from the Las Campanas / Anglo-Australian Telescope Rich Cluster Survey. Our spectroscopic dataset consists of over 1600 galaxy cluster members, of which two thirds are outside r_200. We assign cluster membership using a detailed mass model and expand on our previous work on the cluster colour-magnitude relation where membership was inferred statistically. We confirm that the modal colours of galaxies on the colour magnitude relation become progressively bluer with increasing radius and decreasing local galaxy density. Interpreted as an age effect, we hypothesize that these trends in galaxy colour should be reflected in mean Hdelta equivalent width. We confirm that passive galaxies in the cluster increase in Hdelta line strength as dHdelta / d r_p = 0.35 +/- 0.06. A variation of star formation rate, as measured by [OII], with increasing local density of the environment is discernible and is shown to be in broad agreement with previous studies from 2dFGRS and SDSS. We find that clusters at z~0.1 are less active than their higher redshift analogues. We also investigate unusual populations of blue and very red nonstarforming galaxies and we suggest that the former are likely to be the progenitors of galaxies which will lie on the colour-magnitude relation, while the colours of the latter possibly reflect dust reddening. The cluster galaxies at large radii consist of both backsplash ones and those that are infalling to the cluster for the first time. We make a comparison to the field population at z~0.1 and examine broad differences between the two populations. Individually, the clusters show significant variation in their galaxy populations which reflects their recent infall histories.Comment: 25 pages, 16 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRA

The impact of mergers on relaxed X-ray clusters - III. Effects on compact cool cores

(Abridged) We use the simulations presented in Poole et al. 2006 to examine the effects of mergers on compact cool cores in X-ray clusters. We propose a scheme for classifying the morphology of clusters based on their surface brightness and entropy profiles. Three dominant morphologies emerge: two hosting compact cores and central temperatures which are cool (CCC systems) or warm (CWC systems) and one hosting extended cores which are warm (EWC systems). We find that CCC states are disrupted only after direct collisions between cluster cores in head-on collisions or during second pericentric passage in off-axis mergers. By the time they relax, our remnant cores have generally been heated to warm core (CWC or EWC) states but subsequently recover CCC states. The only case resulting in a long-lived EWC state is a slightly off-axis 3:1 merger for which the majority of shock heating occurs during the accretion of a low-entropy stream formed from the disruption of the secondary's core. Compression prevents core temperatures from falling until after relaxation thus explaining the observed population of relaxed CWC systems with no need to invoke AGN feedback. The morphological segregation observed in the L_x-T_x and beta-r_c scaling relations is reflected in our simulations as well. However, none of the cases we have studied produce sufficiently high remnant central entropies to account for the most under-luminous EWC systems observed. Lastly, systems which initially host central metallicity gradients do not yield merger remnants with flat metallicity profiles. Taken together, these results suggest that once formed, compact core systems are remarkably stable against disruption from mergers. It remains to be demonstrated exactly how the sizable observed population of extended core systems was formed.Comment: 19 pages, 8 figures, submitted for publication in MNRA

Early Science with the Large Millimeter Telescope: observations of dust continuum and CO emission lines of cluster-lensed submillimetre galaxies at z=2.0-4.7

We present Early Science observations with the Large Millimeter Telescope, AzTEC 1.1mm continuum images and wide bandwidth spectra (73-111GHz) acquired with the Redshift Search Receiver, towards four bright lensed submillimetre galaxies identified through the Herschel Lensing Survey-snapshot and the Submillimetre Common-User Bolometer Array-2 Cluster Snapshot Survey. This pilot project studies the star formation history and the physical properties of the molecular gas and dust content of the highest redshift galaxies identified through the benefits of gravitational magnification. We robustly detect dust continuum emission for the full sample and CO emission lines for three of the targets. We find that one source shows spectroscopic multiplicity and is a blend of three galaxies at different redshifts (z=2.040, 3.252, and 4.680), reminiscent of previous high-resolution imaging follow-up of unlensed submillimetre galaxies, but with a completely different search method, that confirm recent theoretical predictions of physically unassociated blended galaxies. Identifying the detected lines as 12CO (Jup=2-5) we derive spectroscopic redshifts, molecular gas masses, and dust masses from the continuum emission. The mean H2 gas mass of the full sample is (2.0±0.2)×1011 M⊙/μ, and the mean dust mass is (2.0±0.2)×109 M⊙/μ, where μ≈2-5 is the expected lens amplification. Using these independent estimations we infer a gas-to-dust ratio of δGDR≈55-75, in agreement with other measurements of submillimetre galaxies. Our magnified high-luminosity galaxies fall on the same locus as other high-redshift submillimetre galaxies, extending the $L^{\prime }_{\rm CO}$-LFIR correlation observed for local luminous and ultraluminous infrared galaxies to higher far-infrared and CO luminositie

The 2dF-SDSS LRG and QSO Survey: The Star Formation Histories of Luminous Red Galaxies

We present a detailed investigation into the recent star formation histories of 5,697 Luminous Red Galaxies (LRGs) based on the Hdelta (4101A) and [OII] (3727A) lines. LRGs are luminous (L>3L*), galaxies which have been selected to have photometric properties consistent with an old, passively evolving stellar population. For this study we utilise LRGs from the recently completed 2dF-SDSS LRG and QSO survey (2SLAQ). Equivalent widths of the Hdelta and [OII] lines are measured and used to define three spectral types, those with only strong Hdelta absorption (k+a), those with strong [OII] in emission (em) and those with both (em+a). All other LRGs are considered to have passive star formation histories. The vast majority of LRGs are found to be passive (~80 per cent), however significant numbers of k+a (2.7 per cent), em+a (1.2 per cent) and em LRGs (8.6 per cent) are identified. An investigation into the redshift dependence of the fractions is also performed. A sample of SDSS MAIN galaxies with colours and luminosities consistent with the 2SLAQ LRGs is selected to provide a low redshift comparison. While the em and em+a fractions are consistent with the low redshift SDSS sample, the fraction of k+a LRGs is found to increase significantly with redshift. This result is interpreted as an indication of an increasing amount of recent star formation activity in LRGs with redshift. By considering the expected life time of the k+a phase, the number of LRGs which will undergo a k+a phase can be estimated. A crude comparison of this estimate with the predictions from semi-analytic models of galaxy formation shows that the predicted level of k+a and em+a activity is not sufficient to reconcile the predicted mass growth for massive early-types in a hierarchical merging scenario.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS, 13 pages, 10 figure