Heavy Flavour in a Nutshell

Moriond QCD brings together particle physicists of varied interests. This review and introduction to heavy flavour physics is aimed at those not in the heavy-flavour field to describe the motivation and methodology of precision flavour physics, and introduce the most tantalising searches for new physics. The LHC experiments are expected to make great inroads into constraining the new physics parameter space and discover the new physics which I will argue \emph{must} be present to describe our observed universe.Comment: 46th Rencontres de Moriond, QCD and High Energy Interactions, La Thuile, March 20-27, 201

AGRICULTURAL AND RECREATIONAL IMPACTS FROM SURFACE FLOW CHANGES DUE TO GOLD MINING OPERATIONS

Nevada ranks third in the world in gold production. In order to operate the massive open pit gold mines, the State of Nevada granted mining companies a temporary permit to pump groundwater from near the open pits and dispose of it. Certain instream flows have nearly doubled relative to average historical flows in recent years. Following pit closure, surface flows will likely decline from historical levels. This study measures the impacts of these changing water supplies on downstream agricultural and recreational users. We argue that the creation of temporary changes in water rights for the downstream users would likely mitigate future losses both groups are expected to experience.Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

Application of the ONERA model of dynamic stall

A semiempirical model to predict the unsteady loads on an airfoil that is experiencing dynamic stall, is investigated. The mathematical model is described from an engineering point of view, demonstrates the procedure for obtaining various empirical parameters, and compares the loads predicted by the model with those obtained in the experiment. It is found that the procedure is straightforward, and the final calculations are in qualitative agreement with the experimental results. Comparisons between calculations and measurements also indicate that a decrease in accuracy results when the values of both the reduced frequency and the amplitude of oscillation are large. Potential quantitative improvements in the accuracy of the calculations are discussed for accounting of both the hysteresis in the static data and the effects of stall delay in the governing equations

The LHCb pixel hybrid photon detectors

The Ring Imaging Cherenkov counters of the LHCb experiment use an innovative type of photon detector, the pixel Hybrid Photon Detector. The Cherenkov photons are detected by 484 such devices. The production of the photon detectors is now complete, and the devices have all been fully qualified in dedicated laboratory test facilities. The quantum efficiencies far exceed expectations, with peak values in excess of 30%. We also present the measured ion feedback rates, dead/noisy pixel fractions and dark count rates

Determination of failure limits for sterilizable solid rocket motor

A structural evaluation to establish probable failure limits and a series of environmental tests involving temperature cycling, sustained acceleration, and vibration were conducted on an 18-inch diameter solid rocket motor. Despite the fact that thermal, acceleration and vibration loads representing a severe overtest of conventional environmental requirements were imposed on the sterilizable motor, no structural failure of the grain or flexible support system was detected. The following significant conclusions are considered justified. It is concluded that: (1) the flexible grain retention system, which permitted heat sterilization at 275 F on the test motor, can readily be adopted to meet the environmental requirements of an operational motor design, and (2) if further substantiation of structural integrity is desired, the motor used is considered acceptable for static firing

Improved real-time imaging spectrometer

An improved AOTF-based imaging spectrometer that offers several advantages over prior art AOTF imaging spectrometers is presented. The ability to electronically set the bandpass wavelength provides observational flexibility. Various improvements in optical architecture provide simplified magnification variability, improved image resolution and light throughput efficiency and reduced sensitivity to ambient light. Two embodiments of the invention are: (1) operation in the visible/near-infrared domain of wavelength range 0.48 to 0.76 microns; and (2) infrared configuration which operates in the wavelength range of 1.2 to 2.5 microns

ANALYSIS OF GOVERNMENT FARM SUBSIDIES ON FARMLAND CASH RENTAL RATES USING A FIXED EFFECT SPATIAL DISTRIBUTED LAG MODEL AND A TRANSLOG COST MODEL

The objective of this study is to examine how factors such as government payments, soil productivity ratings, commodity selling price, corn and soybean production, and spatial attributes affect cash rental rates. Baseline estimates of the effects of government payments on cash rents are determined using a fixed effect, distributed lag model. The results of this model are compared to a distributed lag model that incorporates spatial effects. A second model estimates the impact of government subsides on farm cost structure. This is accomplished estimating a fixed effect, translog cost function that also incorporates spatial effects. The data used in the analysis is the Illinois Farm Business Farm Management (FBFM) Economic Management Analysis (EMA), containing more than five thousand Illinois FBFM clients annually from 1996 to 2001.Farm Management,