Transit Light Curves with Finite Integration Time: Fisher Information Analysis

Kepler has revolutionized the study of transiting planets with its unprecedented photometric precision on more than 150,000 target stars. Most of the transiting planet candidates detected by Kepler have been observed as long-cadence targets with 30 minute integration times, and the upcoming Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) will record full frame images with a similar integration time. Integrations of 30 minutes affect the transit shape, particularly for small planets and in cases of low signal-to-noise. Using the Fisher information matrix technique, we derive analytic approximations for the variances and covariances on the transit parameters obtained from fitting light curve photometry collected with a finite integration time. We find that binning the light curve can significantly increase the uncertainties and covariances on the inferred parameters when comparing scenarios with constant total signal-to-noise (constant total integration time in the absence of read noise). Uncertainties on the transit ingress/egress time increase by a factor of 34 for Earth-size planets and 3.4 for Jupiter-size planets around Sun-like stars for integration times of 30 minutes compared to instantaneously-sampled light curves. Similarly, uncertainties on the mid-transit time for Earth and Jupiter-size planets increase by factors of 3.9 and 1.4. Uncertainties on the transit depth are largely unaffected by finite integration times. While correlations among the transit depth, ingress duration, and transit duration all increase in magnitude with longer integration times, the mid-transit time remains uncorrelated with the other parameters. We provide code in Python and Mathematica for predicting the variances and covariances at www.its.caltech.edu/~eprice

The island of Kauai, Hawaii's progressive shoreline setback and coastal protection ordinance

Approximately two-thirds of coastal and Great Lakes states have some type of shoreline construction setback or construction control line requiring development to be a certain distance from the shoreline or other coastal feature (OCRM, 2008). Nineteen of 30 coastal states currently use erosion rates for new construction close to the shoreline. Seven states established setback distances based on expected years from the shoreline: the remainder specify a fixed setback distance (Heinz Report, 2000). Following public hearings by the County of Kauai Planning Commission and Kauai County Council, the ‘Shoreline Setback and Coastal Protection Ordinance’ was signed by the Mayor of Kauai on January 25, 2008. After a year of experience implementing this progressive, balanced shoreline setback ordinance several amendments were recently incorporated into the Ordinance (#887; Bill #2319 Draft 3). The Kauai Planning Department is presently drafting several more amendments to improve the effectiveness of the Ordinance. The intent of shoreline setbacks is to establish a buffer zone to protect shorefront development from loss due to coastal erosion - for a period of time; to provide protection from storm waves; to allow the natural dynamic cycles of erosion and accretion of beaches and dunes to occur; to maintain beach and dune habitat; and, to maintain lateral beach access and open space for the enjoyment of the natural shoreline environment. In addition, a primary goal of the Kauai setback ordinance is to avoid armoring or hardening of the shore which along eroding coasts has been documented to ultimately eliminate the fronting beach. (PDF contains 4 pages

Beyond the Dalkon Shield: Proving Causation Against IUD Manufacturers for PID Related Injury

Intrauterine devices (IUDs)! have been linked to a wide variety of injuries to women, ranging from severe cramping, to spontaneous abortion, to sterility, to death. This Comment will focus on the problem of proving that scarring of the fallopian tubes, resulting in sterility or partial sterility, is causally linked to use of the IUD, and therefore, a provable element in a plaintiff\u27s cause of action against a manufacturer for such injuries

The Role of Insurance Agents in the Prevention of Environmental Loss and Damage

Over the past several decades, businesses have been placed under great pressure from government and the public to avoid environmental loss and damages. To mitigate environmental loss and damages, companies purchase environmental insurance, which protects companies from direct financial liability and transfers the risk to the insurance agency. Thus, insurance companies to have a vested interest in preventing payouts to businesses by ensuring that their clients protect against environmental losses. Past literature in the field of environmental management has paid little attention to the role of insurance companies and their agents in the prevention of environmental loss and damage. However, there is anecdotal evidence that insurance agents can play an active role in helping firms identify and prevent environmental health and safety issues. Focusing on the printing industry, this study aims to better understand the role insurance agents play in helping firms manage their environmental performance. This study found that insurance companies view themselves as institutions that enhance environmental health and safety performance of manufacturing facilities by preventing environmental health and safety risks. However, it is not clear that printing firms likely do not believe insurance companies contribute to preventing environmental health and safety risks at their facilities. Thus, while there is potential for insurance companies to act as non-public governance institutions that regulate and improve the environmental performance of firms, this potential may not be being realized to its fullest extent

A Study of Three Nine-Year Old Boys, Retarded in Reading, Who Were Taught Reading, Writing, and Spelling by a Remedial Teacher

The purpose of this study was to determine the methods and materials best suited to the improvement of the reading, writing, and spelling skills of three boys, and to discover and alter, if possible, the factors contributing to the reading deficiency and lowered school achievement

I am a Lifer: An ethnographic study of the impact of long-term incarceration on Lifers\u27 identity.

The purpose of this research was to investigate the impact of the prison environment on Lifers\u27 identity. It was hypothesized that individuals exposed to a prison environment, especially for long periods of time, are likely to experience conversion, or transformation to a convict or inmate identity. Using a symbolic interactionist theoretical approach, and John Lofland\u27s model of identity transformation as a guideline, processes of social interaction, which may produce transformation of identity were examined within the prison environment. The research was conducted in federal penitentiaries in Kingston, Ontario. The methodology consisted of face-to-face interviews with 40 Lifers. Data analysis focuses on the processes of identity transformation: Patterns of interaction, social processes relating to adjustment to prison, bonding with the prison environment and other prisoners, the nature of contact with family (extra-institutional bonds), family impact on the conversion process, and intensive interaction. Lifers experience tension at the beginning of their sentence. Efforts to neutralize tension involve learning the prison subcultural norms during initial periods of incarceration. As such, transfer into prison represents a turning point to Lifers. Lifers bond with the prison world, to the extent that they adopt a subcultural code of behaviour. Friendships develop after a slow, strategic, and cautious process. Often, Lifers maintain contact with family members through visits, letters, and phonecalls. Administrative restrictions on visits, geographical separation, and selective dissemination of information by Lifers to their families, makes it impossible for family members to influence the conversion. Lifers also interact with other prisoners through direct and/or non-verbal communication. Information is relayed about prescriptions for behaviour and eventually, they adopt a set of attitudes which help them survive in the prison environment. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)Dept. of Sociology and Anthropology. Paper copy at Leddy Library: Theses & Major Papers - Basement, West Bldg. / Call Number: Thesis1994 .M32. Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 33-04, page: 1154. Adviser: Mary L. Dietz. Thesis (M.A.)--University of Windsor (Canada), 1994

Family Supportive Supervision Around the Globe

Family-supportive supervision (FSS) refers to the degree to which employees perceive their immediate supervisors as exhibiting attitudes and behaviors that are supportive of their family role demands (Hammer, Kossek, Zimmerman, & Daniels, 2007; Kossek, Pichler, Bodner & Hammer, 2011: Thomas & Ganster, 1995). A growing body of research suggests that leaders\u27 and supervisors\u27 social support of employees\u27 needs to jointly carry out work and family demands is important for general health and job attitudes, such as satisfaction, work-family conflict, commitment, and intention to turn over (Hammer, Kossek, Anger, Bodner, & Zimmerman, 2009; Kossek et al., 2011). Thus, employee perceptions of FSS are critical to individual well-being and productivity (Hammer, Kossek, Yragui, Bodner, & Hansen, 2009). [excerpt

Mindfulness and Marital Satisfaction

This study investigated the relationships among mindfulness, marital satisfaction, and perceived spousal similarity. All 95 subjects responded to a questionnaire measuring each of these variables, and an additional series of demographic variables. A significant positive relationship was found between mindfulness and marital satisfaction, with no statistically significant relationship found between perceived spousal similarity and marital satisfaction. There was a stronger correlation between mindfulness and marital satisfaction than the correlation between marital satisfaction and any of the other variables, including similarity. These results carry meaningful implications for the role of mindfulness techniques within the context of building and maintaining happy marital relationships and general well-being.Psycholog