The Λ\LambdaCDM growth rate of structure revisited

We re-examine the growth index of the concordance $\Lambda$ cosmology in the light of the latest 6dF and {\em WiggleZ} data. In particular, we investigate five different models for the growth index $\gamma$, by comparing their cosmological evolution using observational data of the growth rate of structure formation at different redshifts. Performing a joint likelihood analysis of the recent supernovae type Ia data, the Cosmic Microwave Background shift parameter, Baryonic Acoustic Oscillations and the growth rate data, we determine the free parameters of the $\gamma(z)$ parametrizations and we statistically quantify their ability to represent the observations. We find that the addition of the 6dF and {\em WiggleZ} growth data in the likelihood analysis improves significantly the statistical results. As an example, considering a constant growth index we find $\Omega_{m0}=0.273\pm 0.011$ and $\gamma=0.586^{+0.079}_{-0.074}$.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures, Accepted for publication by International J. of Modern Physics D (IJMPD). arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:1203.672

Caracterização física e físico-química de cultivares e de híbridos de abacaxi desenvolvidos pela Embrapa.

O abacaxi (Ananas comosus var. comosus) é uma autêntica fruta das regiões tropicais, cultivado também sob condições subtropicais. É muito consumido in natura e utilizado na indústria para obtenção de geleias, doces em calda, produtos minimamente processados, sucos, dentre outros. O objetivo desse trabalho foi avaliar a cor e as características físico- químicas de nove genótipos de abacaxi, sendo cinco variedades cultivadas (Gold ou MD2, Pérola, Smooth Cayenne, Vitória e Imperial) e quatro novos híbridos desenvolvidos pela Embrapa Mandioca e Fruticultura (SC x PRI-21, SC 48 x PRI-02, PE x SC-73 e PA x PE-01).1 CD-ROM

Managing affect in learners' questions in undergraduate science

This is the author's accepted manuscript. The final published article is available from the link below. Copyright @ 2012 Society for Research into Higher Education.This article aims to position students' classroom questioning within the literature surrounding affect and its impact on learning. The article consists of two main sections. First, the act of questioning is discussed in order to highlight how affect shapes the process of questioning, and a four-part genesis to question-asking that we call CARE is described: the construction, asking, reception and evaluation of a learner's question. This work is contextualised through studies in science education and through our work with university students in undergraduate chemistry, although conducted in the firm belief that it has more general application. The second section focuses on teaching strategies to encourage and manage learners' questions, based here upon the conviction that university students in this case learn through questioning, and that an inquiry-based environment promotes better learning than a simple ‘transmission’ setting. Seven teaching strategies developed from the authors' work are described, where university teachers ‘scaffold’ learning through supporting learners' questions, and working with these to structure and organise the content and the shape of their teaching. The article concludes with a summary of the main issues, highlighting the impact of the affective dimension of learning through questioning, and a discussion of the implications for future research

Day-to-day variability of equatorial electrojet and its role on the day-to-day characteristics of the equatorial ionization anomaly over the Indian and Brazilian sectors

The equatorial electrojet (EEJ) is a narrow band of current flowing eastward at the ionospheric E region altitudes along the dayside dip equator. Mutually perpendicular electric and magnetic fields over the equator results in the formation of equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA), which in turn generates large electron density variabilities. Simultaneous study on the characteristics of EEJ and EIA is necessary to understand the role of EEJ on the EIA variabilities. This is helpful for the improved estimation of total electron content (TEC) and range delays required for satellite-based communication and navigation applications. Present study reports simultaneous variations of EEJ and GPS-TEC over Indian and Brazilian sectors to understand the role of EEJ on the day-to-day characteristics of the EIA. Magnetometer measurements during the low solar activity year 2004 are used to derive the EEJ values over the two different sectors. The characteristics of EIA are studied using two different chains of GPS receivers along the common meridian of 77E (India) and 45W (Brazil). The diurnal, seasonal, and day-to-day variations of EEJ and TEC are described simultaneously. Variations of EIA during different seasons are presented along with the variations of the EEJ in the two hemispheres. The role of EEJ variations on the characteristic features of the EIA such as the strength and temporal extent of the EIA crest has also been reported. Further, the time delay between the occurrences of the day maximum EEJ and the well-developed EIA is studied and corresponding results are presented in this paper.Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísica