From sub-IDOs to Impact: A Guide to Developing Gender-related Policy Indicators in CCAFS

The Gender and Social Inclusion (GSI) unit of the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) is dedicated to the advancement of gender-responsive climate policies. This document is a guide to best practices for developing indicators to track progress toward CCAFS gender-related policy sub-intermediate development outcomes (sub-IDOs) and gender activities at project and national levels. While the primary objective of this guide is to be used as a practical resource for CCAFS projects in tracking progress towards CCAFS gender-related policy sub-IDOs, the methodology and frameworks developed herein would be useful for other programs in selecting which gender issues should be prioritized in climate policy and how these can be instrumentalized in tracking through appropriate and meaningful gender indicators. This guide also provides a synthesis of best practices and recommendations for tracking gender outcomes in climate policy by drawing upon both extant literature and project experiences revealed by CCAFS project leaders and experts (n=14). A discussion of the limitation of gender indicators and how they can be complemented with other tools and methods is also included

Optical and Infrared Photometry of the Unusual Type Ia Supernova 2000cx

We present optical and infrared photometry of the unusual Type Ia supernova 2000cx. With the data of Li et al. (2001) and Jha (2002), this comprises the largest dataset ever assembled for a Type Ia SN, more than 600 points in UBVRIJHK. We confirm the finding of Li et al. regarding the unusually blue B-V colors as SN 2000cx entered the nebular phase. Its I-band secondary hump was extremely weak given its B-band decline rate. The V minus near infrared colors likewise do not match loci based on other slowly declining Type Ia SNe, though V-K is the least ``abnormal''. In several ways SN 2000cx resembles other slow decliners, given its B-band decline rate (Delta m_15(B) = 0.93), the appearance of Fe III lines and weakness of Si II in its pre-maximum spectrum, the V-K colors and post-maximum V-H colors. If the distance modulus derived from Surface Brightness Fluctuations of the host galaxy is correct, we find that the rate of light increase prior to maximum, the characteristics of the bolometric light curve, and the implied absolute magnitude at maximum are all consistent with a sub-luminous object with Delta m_15(B) ~ 1.6-1.7 having a higher than normal kinetic energy.Comment: 46 pages, 17 figures, to be published in Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacifi

The BAT-Swift Science Software

The BAT instrument tells the Swift satellite where to point to make immediate follow-up observations of GRBs. The science software on board must efficiently process gamma-ray events coming in at up to 34 kHz, identify rate increases that could be due to GRBs while disregarding those from known sources, and produce images to accurately and rapidly locate new Gamma-ray sources.Comment: 4 pages, no figures, to appear in Santa Fe proceedings "Gamma-Ray Bursts: 30 Years of Discovery", Fenimore and Galassi (eds), AIP, 200

Spectral analysis of 35 GRBs/XRFs observed with HETE-2/FREGATE

We present a spectral analysis of 35 GRBs detected with the HETE-2 gamma-ray detectors (the FREGATE instrument) in the energy range 7-400 keV. The GRB sample analyzed is made of GRBs localized with the Wide Field X-ray Monitor onboard HETE-2 or with the GRB Interplanetary Network. We derive the spectral parameters of the time-integrated spectra, and present the distribution of the low-energy photon index, alpha, and of the peak energy, e_peak . We then discuss the existence and nature of the recently discovered X-Ray Flashes and their relationship with classical GRBs.Comment: 14 pages, 43 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysic