641 research outputs found

    Editorial

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    Ozone depletion events observed in the high latitude surface layer during the TOPSE aircraft program

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    During the Tropospheric Ozone Production about the Spring Equinox (TOPSE) aircraft program, ozone depletion events (ODEs) in the high latitude surface layer were investigated using lidar and in situ instruments. Flight legs of 100 km or longer distance were flown 32 times at 30 m altitude over a variety of regions north of 58° between early February and late May 2000. ODEs were found on each flight over the Arctic Ocean but their occurrence was rare at more southern latitudes. However, large area events with depletion to over 2 km altitude in one case were found as far south as Baffin Bay and Hudson Bay and as late as 22 May. There is good evidence that these more southern events did not form in situ but were the result of export of ozone-depleted air from the surface layer of the Arctic Ocean. Surprisingly, relatively intact transport of ODEs occurred over distances of 900–2000 km and in some cases over rough terrain. Accumulation of constituents in the frozen surface over the dark winter period cannot be a strong prerequisite of ozone depletion since latitudes south of the Arctic Ocean would also experience a long dark period. Some process unique to the Arctic Ocean surface or its coastal regions remains unidentified for the release of ozone-depleting halogens. There was no correspondence between coarse surface features such as solid ice/snow, open leads, or polynyas with the occurrence of or intensity of ozone depletion over the Arctic or subarctic regions. Depletion events also occurred in the absence of long-range transport of relatively fresh “pollution” within the high latitude surface layer, at least in spring 2000. Direct measurements of halogen radicals were not made. However, the flights do provide detailed information on the vertical structure of the surface layer and, during the constant 30 m altitude legs, measurements of a variety of constituents including hydroxyl and peroxy radicals. A summary of the behavior of these constituents is made. The measurements were consistent with a source of formaldehyde from the snow/ice surface. Median NOx in the surface layer was 15 pptv or less, suggesting that surface emissions were substantially converted to reservoir constituents by 30 m altitude and that ozone production rates were small (0.15–1.5 ppbv/d) at this altitude. Peroxyacetylnitrate (PAN) was by far the major constituent of NOy in the surface layer independent of the ozone mixing ratio

    Ambiguity in public sector performance measurement: a systematic literature review

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    Purpose: This paper presents a systematic literature review aiming at analysing how research has addressed performance measurement systems’ (PMSs) ambiguities in the public sector. This paper embraces the ambiguity perspective that PMSs in public sector coexist with and cope with existing ambiguities. Design/methodology/approach: The authors conducted a literature review in Scopus and ScienceDirect, considering articles published since 1985, and the authors selected articles published in the journals included in the Association of Business Schools' Academic Journal Guide (Chartered ABS, 2018). Of the 1,278 abstracts that matched the study’s search criteria, the authors selected 131 articles for full reading and 37 articles for the final discussion. Findings: The study's key findings concern the elements of ambiguity in PMSs discussed in the literature. The study’s results suggest that ambiguity is still a relevant problem in performance measurement, as a problem that is impossible to be solved and therefore needs to be better understood by researchers and public managers. The analysis allows us to summarize the antecedents and consequences of ambiguity in the public sector. Research limitations/implications: The key findings of the study concern the main sources of ambiguity in PMSs discussed in the literature, their antecedents and their consequences. The study results suggest that ambiguity exists in performance measurement and that is an issue to be handled with various strategies that can be implemented by managers and employees. Practical implications: Managers and researchers may benefit from this research as it may represent a guideline to understand ambiguities in their organizations or in field research. Researchers may also benefit from a summary list of the key issues that have been analysed in the empirical cases provided by this research. Social implications: This research may provide insights to limit ambiguity and thus contribute to improve performance measurement in the public sector. Originality/value: This research presents a comprehensive review on the topic. It provides insight that suggests what future research should attend to in helping to interpret ambiguity, considering also what should be done to influence ambiguity

    Search for CP Violation in the decays D+ -> K_S pi+ and D+ -> K_S K+

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    A high statistics sample of photo-produced charm from the FOCUS(E831) experiment at Fermilab has been used to search for direct CP violation in the decays D+->K_S pi+ and D+ -> K_S K+. We have measured the following asymmetry parameters relative to D+->K-pi+pi+: A_CP(K_S pi+) = (-1.6 +/- 1.5 +/- 0.9)%, A_CP(K_S K+) = (+6.9 +/- 6.0 +/- 1.5)% and A_CP(K_S K+) = (+7.1 +/- 6.1 +/- 1.2)% relative to D+->K_S pi+. The first errors quoted are statistical and the second are systematic. We also measure the relative branching ratios: \Gamma(D+->\bar{K0}pi+)/\Gamma(D+->K-pi+pi+) = (30.60 +/- 0.46 +/- 0.32)%, \Gamma(D+->\bar{K0}K+)/\Gamma(D+->K-pi+pi+) = (6.04 +/- 0.35 +/- 0.30)% and \Gamma(D+->\bar{K0}K+)/\Gamma(D+->\bar{K0}pi+) = (19.96 +/- 1.19 +/- 0.96)%.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

    The Target Silicon Detector for the FOCUS Spectrometer

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    We describe a silicon microstrip detector interleaved with segments of a beryllium oxide target which was used in the FOCUS photoproduction experiment at Fermilab. The detector was designed to improve the vertex resolution and to enhance the reconstruction efficiency of short-lived charm particles.Comment: 18 pages, 14 figure

    A Study of D0 --> K0(S) K0(S) X Decay Channels

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    Using data from the FOCUS experiment (FNAL-E831), we report on the decay of D0D^0 mesons into final states containing more than one KS0K^0_S. We present evidence for two Cabibbo favored decay modes, D0KS0KS0Kπ+D^0\to K^0_SK^0_S K^- \pi^+ and D0KS0KS0K+πD^0\to K^0_SK^0_S K^+ \pi^-, and measure their combined branching fraction relative to D0Kˉ0π+πD^0\to \bar{K} ^0\pi^+\pi^- to be Γ(D0KS0KS0K±π)Γ(D0Kˉ0π+π)\frac{\Gamma(D^0\to K^0_SK^0_SK^{\pm}\pi^{\mp})}{\Gamma(D^0\to \bar{K} ^0\pi^+\pi^-)} = 0.0106 ±\pm 0.0019 ±\pm 0.0010. Further, we report new measurements of Γ(D0KS0KS0KS0)Γ(D0Kˉ0π+π)\frac{\Gamma(D^0\to K^0_SK^0_SK^0_S)}{\Gamma(D^0\to \bar{K} ^0\pi^+\pi^-)} = 0.0179 ±\pm 0.0027 ±\pm 0.0026, Γ(D0K0Kˉ0)Γ(D0Kˉ0π+π)\frac{\Gamma(D^0\to K^0\bar{K} ^0)}{\Gamma(D^0\to \bar{K} ^0\pi^+\pi^-)} = 0.0144 ±\pm 0.0032 ±\pm 0.0016, and Γ(D0KS0KS0π+π)Γ(D0Kˉ0π+π)\frac{\Gamma(D^0\to K^0_SK^0_S\pi^+\pi^-)}{\Gamma(D^0\to \bar{K} ^0\pi^+\pi^-)} = 0.0208 ±\pm 0.0035 ±\pm 0.0021 where the first error is statistical and the second is systematic.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figures, typos correcte
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