Absorption and dispersion spectroscopy in the far infra-red region

The work described in this thesis can be divided into two main parts. The first part describes the modifications of the instrument (a Beckman-RIIC FS720) to enable it to be operated in the polarising mode with a liquid helium cooled detector. Several problems were encountered during the testing of this equipment particularly when operating the polarising system. Initially the spectra recorded with this system showed considerable distortion in the high and low frequency regions. The low frequency distortion was found to arise from electrical non-linearity (due to overload) within the electronics (RIIC FS200) and modifications to the amplifier have, eliminated this problem. The high frequency distortion, which appears as a ≈120 cm(^-1)limit, has not been corrected and is now thought to arise from a 'software' (computing) problem. The signal-to-noise ratio tests carried out on the cooled detsctor indicate that the bolometer element may not be operating at its most sensitive temperature due to overheating by the hot source. However, when operating with heavy optical filtering (therefore reducing the radiation reaching the bolometer) it has been possible to record spectra in the very far-infrared region (20 -» 5 cm(^-1)).The second part of the thesis describes the practical operation and tests carried out on the previously constructed cell designed for conversion of the instrument to operate in the dispersive mode. To enable this cell to be mounted vertically on the instrument a top window has been included to hold a liquid sample. This leads to the appearance of reflections and multiple reflections not present when studying a gravity held liquid. These reflection fringes have been fully assigned and therefore it has been possible to obtain the continuous dispersion (refractive index) curve of a liquid in the far- infrared region. The overall aim of this work has been to test the limitations and accuracy of the new equipment and make original studies in the far-infrared region

The European Cycle Route Network, EuroVelo

This study evaluates the challenges and opportunities of developing a cycle tourism network across Europe. It focuses on EuroVelo, a network of 12 long-distance routes managed by the European Cyclists’ Federation, which is being developed in different countries by a wide range of partners. The study reviews the market for cycle tourism in Europe and presents a EuroVelo demand modal. It reviews the carriage of cycles on trains. Finally, it evaluates the potential of the Iron Curtain Trail

The European Cycle Route Network, EuroVelo

This update of the 2009 study evaluates the challenges and opportunities of developing a cycle tourism network across Europe. It focuses on EuroVelo, a network of 14 long distance routes managed by the European Cyclists’ Federation which is being developed in different countries by a wide range of partners. The study reviews the market for cycle tourism and presents a model of demand for EuroVelo. It also evaluates the recent developments on the Iron Curtain Trail

Microwave Devices Employing Magnetic Waves

Contains reports on six research projects.Joint Services Electronics Program (Contract DAAG29-78-C-0020)National Science Foundation (Grant ENG76-18359

Progress in marine geoconservation in Scotland’s seas : assessment of key interests and their contribution to Marine Protected Area network planning

This study was part-funded by Marine Scotland and was undertaken as part of the Scottish Marine Protected Areas (MPA) Programme, a joint initiative between Marine Scotland, Historic Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC).Geoconservation in the marine environment has been largely overlooked, despite a wealth of accumulated information on marine geology and geomorphology and clear links between many terrestrial and marine features. As part of the wider characterisation of Scotland’s seas, this study developed criteria and a methodology that follow the established principles of the terrestrial, Great Britain-wide geoconservation audit, the Geological Conservation Review, to assess geodiversity key areas on the seabed. Using an expert judgement approach, eight geodiversity feature categories were identified to represent the geological and geomorphological processes that have influenced the evolution and present-day morphology of the Scottish seabed: Quaternary of Scotland; Submarine Mass Movement; Marine Geomorphology of the Scottish Deep-Ocean Seabed; Seabed Fluid and Gas Seep; Cenozoic Structures of the Atlantic Margin; Marine Geomorphology of the Scottish Shelf Seabed; Coastal Geomorphology of Scotland; and Biogenic Structures of the Scottish Seabed. Within these categories, 35 key areas were prioritised for their scientific value. Specific interests range from large-scale landforms (e.g. submarine landslides, sea-mounts and trenches) to fine-scale dynamic features (e.g. sand waves). Although these geodiversity interests provided supporting evidence for the identification and selection of a suite of Nature Conservation Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) containing important marine natural features, they are only partially represented in these MPAs and existing protected areas. Nevertheless, a pragmatic approach is emerging to integrate as far as possible the conservation management of marine geodiversity with that of biodiversity and based on evidence of the sensitivity and vulnerability geological and geomorphological features on the seabed.PostprintPeer reviewe

The Solar Benchmark: Rotational Modulation of the Sun Reconstructed from Archival Sunspot Records

We use archival daily spot coverage measurements from Howard et al. (1984) to study the rotational modulation of the Sun as though it were a distant star. A quasi-periodic Gaussian process measures the solar rotation period $P_\mathrm{rot} = 26.3 \pm 0.1$ days, and activity cycle period $P_\mathrm{cyc} = 10.7 \pm 0.3$ years. We attempt to search for evidence of differential rotation in variations of the apparent rotation period throughout the activity cycle and do not detect a clear signal of differential rotation, consistent with the null results of the hare-and-hounds exercise of Aigrain et al. (2015). The full reconstructed solar light curve is available online.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRA

Creating a Charrette Process to Ignite the Conversation on Equity and Inclusion

The gaps in graduation and retention rates between ethnic and gender groups continue to be a foremost area of focus at Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC), The City University of New York (CUNY). Equity and inclusion is also a critical concern as it relates to faculty and staff. At BMCC, a college-wide initiative, Designing for Success, is seeking to improve declining retention and graduation rates. At its core is the question, “Have we designed our operations to produce these results?” The answer is, “Yes”. BMCC’s Designing for Success strategic planning process seeks to re-design administrative processes and teaching in an effort to eradicate these gaps through efforts which include a community-wide discussion and action planning on equity and inclusion inspired by the charrette process. The charrette creates small groups that meet on more than one occasion to identify critical barriers to addressing equity and inclusion and develops action plans for addressing these barriers from stakeholders at all levels of an organization. This paper proposes that public scholarship is at the core of the charrette process, that it is uniquely appropriate for the higher education environment and moves the community from a “discussion” of the barriers to fully engaging the entire college community in meaningful action-oriented strategic planning

Sustainability considerations for clinical and translational research informatics infrastructure

A robust biomedical informatics infrastructure is essential for academic health centers engaged in translational research. There are no templates for what such an infrastructure encompasses or how it is funded. An informatics workgroup within the Clinical and Translational Science Awards network conducted an analysis to identify the scope, governance, and funding of this infrastructure. After we identified the essential components of an informatics infrastructure, we surveyed informatics leaders at network institutions about the governance and sustainability of the different components. Results from 42 survey respondents showed significant variations in governance and sustainability; however, some trends also emerged. Core informatics components such as electronic data capture systems, electronic health records data repositories, and related tools had mixed models of funding including, fee-for-service, extramural grants, and institutional support. Several key components such as regulatory systems (e.g., electronic Institutional Review Board [IRB] systems, grants, and contracts), security systems, data warehouses, and clinical trials management systems were overwhelmingly supported as institutional infrastructure. The findings highlighted in this report are worth noting for academic health centers and funding agencies involved in planning current and future informatics infrastructure, which provides the foundation for a robust, data-driven clinical and translational research program