1,011 research outputs found
Service Delivery in Rural Municipalities: Privatize, Cooperate, or Go It Alone?
Choices in production and contracting arrangements for a wide range of services were studied using data from approximately 1,000 small, mostly rural municipalities from Illinois, New Hampshire and Wisconsin. Results suggest the use of both for-profit contractors and cooperative agreements with other governments correlate negatively with population. Small municipalities are less likely to use competitive bidding processes, compare costs between production options, or report that privatization produces savings. Median income, rural geography, and ideology show statistically-significant associations with contracting choices. Respondents generally consider themselves ―satisfied‖ with services provided by contract, although satisfaction levels are lower than those associated with self-provision. Satisfaction associated with services provided by other governments is lower than satisfaction with services provided by private contractors, suggesting no tradeoff in service quality directly attributable to ―for-profit‖ contractors.privatization, municipal services, cooperation, Community/Rural/Urban Development, Public Economics,
A novel search for gravitationally lensed radio sources in wide-field VLBI imaging from the mJIVE-20 survey
We present a novel pilot search for gravitational lenses in the mJIVE-20
survey, which observed radio sources selected from FIRST with the
VLBA at an angular resolution of 5 mas. We have taken the visibility data for
an initial sources that were detected by the mJIVE-20 observations and
re-mapped them to make wide-field images, selecting fourteen sources that had
multiple components separated by mas, with a flux-ratio of
: and a surface brightness consistent with gravitational lensing.
Two of these candidates are re-discoveries of gravitational lenses found as
part of CLASS. The remaining twelve candidates were then re-observed at 1.4 GHz
and then simultaneously at 4.1 and 7.1 GHz with the VLBA to measure the
spectral index and surface brightness of the individual components as a
function of frequency. Ten were rejected as core-jet or core-hotspot(s)
systems, with surface brightness distributions and/or spectral indices
inconsistent with gravitational lensing, and one was rejected after lens
modelling demonstrated that the candidate lensed images failed the parity test.
The final lens candidate has an image configuration that is consistent with a
simple lens mass model, although further observations are required to confirm
the lensing nature. Given the two confirmed gravitational lenses in the
mJIVE-20 sample, we find a robust lensing-rate of :() for a
statistical sample of 635 radio sources detected on mas-scales, which is
consistent with that found for CLASS.Comment: 31 pages, 22 figures; accepted for publication in MNRA
B836: Financing Rural Roads and Bridges in the Northern New England States
Although general information pertaining to the quantity and quality of rural infrastructure across the nation is available in a patchwork of studies, information specific to New England is lacking. The lack of information related to the most important rural infrastructure, the local road and bridge system, is particularly disturbing. The local road system is of vital importance to rural residents and businesses. This system provides links between rural residents and employment opportunities, shopping districts, and health care facilities, in addition to the links it provides rural businesses with markets. Because of the concern for the deteriorating condition of the local road system and the financial difficulties facing the local governments vested with the responsibility for maintaining and repairing the local road system, the Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development authorized this study of the local road system in the three states composing northern New England: Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. Primary information was gathered through mail survey of town road officials. The study was designed to complement other studies of the local road network in other parts of the U.S. The study focuses on financing patterns and the condition of the existing local road network. Special attention is paid to the management practices followed in maintaining the local road network in an attempt to assess the need for improving managerial practices, abilities, and institutional arrangements. Specific recommendations for improving the delivery of transportation services are provided in the summary of the reporthttps://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/aes_bulletin/1023/thumbnail.jp
A new approach to modelling impacts on rubble pile asteroid simulants
Many asteroids with low bulk densities must have a rubble pile structure and internal voids. Although little is known about their internal structure, numerical simulations of impact events on these asteroids rely on assumptions on how the voids are distributed. We present a new approach to model impacts on rubble pile asteroids that explicitly takes into account their internal structure. The formation of the asteroid is modelled as a rubble pile aggregate of spherical pebbles of different sizes. This aggregate is then converted into a high-resolution smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) model, accounting for macroporosity inside the pebbles. We compare impact-event outcomes for a large set of internal configurations to explore the parameter space of our model-building process. The analysis of the fragment size distribution and the disruption threshold quantifies the specific influence of each input parameter. The size distribution of the pebbles used in our model is a simple power law, containing three free parameters: the slope α, the lower cut-off radius rmin and the upper cut-off radius rmax. The influence of all three parameters on the outcome is assessed in this paper. The existence of void space in our model increases the resistance against collisional disruption, a behaviour previously reported based on numerical simulations using a continuum description of porous material (Holsapple 2009). We show, for a set of asteroid collisions typical for small asteroids in the main belt, that no a priori knowledge of the exact size distribution of the pebbles inside the asteroid is needed, as the choice of the corresponding parameters does not directly correlate with the impact outcome
B835: Landfills and Municpal Solid Waste in Maine
Municipal leaders need current information about alternative disposal methods to make rational decisions on handling their town\u27s waste. To provide an overview of landfilling and other waste-handling methods used in the upper New England states, a group of university researchers from New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont initiated a study of landfills and solid waste management practices. The study involved a comprehensive mail survey of municipalities in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. This report focuses upon and discusses the results of the landfill and solid waste management survey for Maine.https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/aes_bulletin/1019/thumbnail.jp
The First Very Long Baseline Interferometric SETI Experiment
The first Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence (SETI) conducted with
Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) is presented. By consideration of the
basic principles of interferometry, we show that VLBI is efficient at
discriminating between SETI signals and human generated radio frequency
interference (RFI). The target for this study was the star Gliese 581, thought
to have two planets within its habitable zone. On 2007 June 19, Gliese 581 was
observed for 8 hours at 1230-1544 with the Australian Long Baseline Array. The
dataset was searched for signals appearing on all interferometer baselines
above five times the noise limit. A total of 222 potential SETI signals were
detected and by using automated data analysis techniques, were ruled out as
originating from the Gliese 581 system. From our results we place an upper
limit of 7 MW/Hz on the power output of any isotropic emitter located in the
Gliese 581 system, within this frequency range. This study shows that VLBI is
ideal for targeted SETI, including follow-up observations. The techniques
presented are equally applicable to next-generation interferometers, such as
the long baselines of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA).Comment: 34 pages, 6 figures, 2 tables. Accepted on 25/05/2012 for publication
in The Astronomical Journa
VLA Observations of Single Pulses from the Galactic Center Magnetar
We present the results of a 7-12 GHz phased-array study of the Galactic
center magnetar J1745-2900 with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA).
Using data from two 6.5 hour observations from September 2014, we find that the
average profile is comprised of several distinct components at these epochs and
is stable over day timescales and GHz frequencies. Comparison with
additional phased VLA data at 8.7 GHz shows significant profile changes on
longer timescales. The average profile at 7-12 GHz is dominated by the jitter
of relatively narrow pulses. The pulses in each of the four main profile
components seen in September 2014 are uncorrelated in phase and amplitude,
though there is a small but significant correlation in the occurrence of pulses
in two of the profile components. Using the brightest pulses, we measure the
dispersion and scattering parameters of J1745-2900. A joint fit of 38 pulses
gives a 10 GHz pulse broadening time of and a dispersion measure of . Both of these results are consistent with previous measurements,
which suggests that the scattering and dispersion measure of J1745-2900 may be
stable on timescales of several years.Comment: 20 pages, 10 figures, published in Ap
Locating the intense interstellar scattering towards the inner Galaxy
We use VLBA+VLA observations to measure the sizes of the scatter-broadened
images of 6 of the most heavily scattered known pulsars: 3 within the Galactic
Centre (GC) and 3 elsewhere in the inner Galactic plane. By combining the
measured sizes with temporal pulse broadening data from the literature and
using the thin-screen approximation, we locate the scattering medium along the
line of sight to these 6 pulsars. At least two scattering screens are needed to
explain the observations of the GC sample. We show that the screen inferred by
previous observations of SGR J1745-2900 and Sgr A*, which must be located far
from the GC, falls off in strength on scales < 0.2 degree. A second scattering
component closer to (< 2 kpc) or even (tentatively) within (< 700 pc) the GC
produces most or all of the temporal broadening observed in the other GC
pulsars. Outside the GC, the scattering locations for all three pulsars are ~2
kpc from Earth, consistent with the distance of the Carina-Sagittarius or
Scutum spiral arm. For each object the 3D scattering origin coincides with a
known HII region (and in one case also a supernova remnant), suggesting that
such objects preferentially cause the intense interstellar scattering seen
towards the Galactic plane. We show that the HII regions should contribute >
25% of the total dispersion measure (DM) towards these pulsars, and calculate
reduced DM distances. Those distances for other pulsars lying behind HII
regions may be similarly overestimated.Comment: 16 pages, 10 figures, MNRAS, in pres
Gravitational wave astronomy with the SKA
On a time scale of years to decades, gravitational wave (GW) astronomy will
become a reality. Low frequency (nanoHz) GWs are detectable through long-term
timing observations of the most stable pulsars. Radio observatories worldwide
are currently carrying out observing programmes to detect GWs, with data sets
being shared through the International Pulsar Timing Array project. One of the
most likely sources of low frequency GWs are supermassive black hole binaries
(SMBHBs), detectable as a background due to a large number of binaries, or as
continuous or burst emission from individual sources. No GW signal has yet been
detected, but stringent constraints are already being placed on galaxy
evolution models. The SKA will bring this research to fruition.
In this chapter, we describe how timing observations using SKA1 will
contribute to detecting GWs, or can confirm a detection if a first signal
already has been identified when SKA1 commences observations. We describe how
SKA observations will identify the source(s) of a GW signal, search for
anisotropies in the background, improve models of galaxy evolution, test
theories of gravity, and characterise the early inspiral phase of a SMBHB
system.
We describe the impact of the large number of millisecond pulsars to be
discovered by the SKA; and the observing cadence, observation durations, and
instrumentation required to reach the necessary sensitivity. We describe the
noise processes that will influence the achievable precision with the SKA. We
assume a long-term timing programme using the SKA1-MID array and consider the
implications of modifications to the current design. We describe the possible
benefits from observations using SKA1-LOW. Finally, we describe GW detection
prospects with SKA1 and SKA2, and end with a description of the expectations of
GW astronomy.Comment: 19 pages, 3 figures, to be published in: "Advancing Astrophysics with
the Square Kilometre Array", Proceedings of Science, PoS(AASKA14)03
DiFX: A software correlator for very long baseline interferometry using multi-processor computing environments
We describe the development of an FX style correlator for Very Long Baseline
Interferometry (VLBI), implemented in software and intended to run in
multi-processor computing environments, such as large clusters of commodity
machines (Beowulf clusters) or computers specifically designed for high
performance computing, such as multi-processor shared-memory machines. We
outline the scientific and practical benefits for VLBI correlation, these
chiefly being due to the inherent flexibility of software and the fact that the
highly parallel and scalable nature of the correlation task is well suited to a
multi-processor computing environment. We suggest scientific applications where
such an approach to VLBI correlation is most suited and will give the best
returns. We report detailed results from the Distributed FX (DiFX) software
correlator, running on the Swinburne supercomputer (a Beowulf cluster of
approximately 300 commodity processors), including measures of the performance
of the system. For example, to correlate all Stokes products for a 10 antenna
array, with an aggregate bandwidth of 64 MHz per station and using typical time
and frequency resolution presently requires of order 100 desktop-class compute
nodes. Due to the effect of Moore's Law on commodity computing performance, the
total number and cost of compute nodes required to meet a given correlation
task continues to decrease rapidly with time. We show detailed comparisons
between DiFX and two existing hardware-based correlators: the Australian Long
Baseline Array (LBA) S2 correlator, and the NRAO Very Long Baseline Array
(VLBA) correlator. In both cases, excellent agreement was found between the
correlators. Finally, we describe plans for the future operation of DiFX on the
Swinburne supercomputer, for both astrophysical and geodetic science.Comment: 41 pages, 10 figures, accepted for publication in PAS
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