Evocative computing – creating meaningful lasting experiences in connecting with the past

We present an approach – evocative computing – that demonstrates how ‘at hand’ technologies can be ‘picked up’ and used by people to create meaningful and lasting experiences, through connecting and interacting with the past. The approach is instantiated here through a suite of interactive technologies configured for an indoor-outdoor setting that enables groups to explore, discover and research the history and background of a public cemetery. We report on a two-part study where different groups visited the cemetery and interacted with the digital tools and resources. During their activities serendipitous uses of the technology led to connections being made between personal memo-ries and ongoing activities. Furthermore, these experiences were found to be long-lasting; a follow-up study, one year later, showed them to be highly memorable, and in some cases leading participants to take up new directions in their work. We discuss the value of evocative computing for enriching user experiences and engagement with heritage practices

Rotational Spectroscopy of PAHs: Acenaphthene, Acenaphthylene and Fluorene

Pure rotational spectra of three polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons - acenaphthene, acenaphthylene and fluorene - have been obtained by Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy of a molecular beam and subsequently by millimeter wave absorption spectroscopy for acenaphthene and fluorene. The data presented here will be useful for deep radio astronomical searches for PAHs employing large radio telecopes.Comment: 2 pages, 1 figure (uses iaus.sty), to appear in IAU Symposium No. 231, Astrochemistry - Recent Successes and Current Challenges, eds. D. C. Lis, G. A. Blake & E. Herbst (Cambridge Univ. Press

The Las Campanas Infra-red Survey. V. Keck Spectroscopy of a large sample of Extremely Red Objects

(Abridged) We present deep Keck spectroscopy, using the DEIMOS and LRIS spectrographs, of a large and representative sample of 67 ``Extremely Red Objects'' (EROs) to H=20.5, with I-H>3.0, in three of the Las Campanas Infrared Survey fields. Spectroscopic redshifts are determined for 44 sources, of which only two are contaminating low mass stars. When allowance is made for incompleteness, the spectroscopic redshift distribution closely matches that predicted earlier on the basis of photometric data. Our spectra are of sufficient quality that we can address the important question of the nature and homogeneity of the z>0.8 ERO population. A dominant old stellar population is inferred for 75% of our spectroscopic sample; a higher fraction than that seen in smaller, less-complete samples with broader photometric selection criteria (e.g. R-K). However, only 28% have spectra with no evidence of recent star formation activity, such as would be expected for a strictly passively-evolving population. More than ~30% of our absorption line spectra are of the `E+A' type with prominent Balmer absorption consistent, on average, with mass growth of 5-15% in the past Gyr. We use our spectroscopic redshifts to improve earlier estimates of the spatial clustering of this population as well as to understand the significant field-to-field variation. Our spectroscopy enables us to pinpoint a filamentary structure at z=1.22 in the Chandra Deep Field South. Overall, our study suggests that the bulk of the ERO population is an established population of clustered massive galaxies undergoing intermittent activity consistent with continued growth over the redshift interval 0.8<z<1.6.Comment: 27 pages, including 14 figures and appendix of spectra (at low resolution). Full resolution paper can be found at http://www.ast.cam.ac.uk/~md . To appear in MNRA

Distant radio galaxies in the near IR

We are carrying out a program of near IR imaging and spectroscopy of radio galaxies with redshifts of 1.5 and greater. One of its principal goals is to constrain the ages and star formation histories of massive galaxies at early epochs. The radio galaxies are drawn from the survey of 1Jy class sources by McCarthy et al (1989) and McCarthy (1990). The sample contains 18 radio galaxies with redshifts greater than 2 and an additional 10 objects with 1.5 less than z less than 2.0. The redshifts were obtained from long slit spectra with the CTIO 4 m. While the galaxies are quite faint (r approximately = 21-24.5) all have Lyman alpha emission with rest frame equivalent widths of 100 - 1000 A. Multicolor photometry in the g,r,i and J,H,K bands has been obtained with the 2.5-m Du Pont Telescope on Las Campanas and with the Hale 5 m telescope at Palomar. We have recently obtained near IR spectra, using the 4 m telescopes at KPNO and CTIO, of a few objects with the goal of determining the Lyman alpha/H-alpha ratio and hence the reddening

Laboratory And Astronomical Detection Of The Negative Molecular Ion C3N-

The negative molecular ion C3N- has been detected at millimeter wavelengths in a low-pressure laboratory discharge, and then with frequencies derived from the laboratory data in the molecular envelope of IRC+10216. Spectroscopic constants derived from laboratory measurements of 12 transitions between 97 and 378 GHz allow the rotational spectrum to be calculated well into the submillimeter-wave band to 0.03 km s(-1) or better in equivalent radial velocity. Four transitions of C3N- were detected in IRC+10216 with the IRAM 30 m telescope at precisely the frequencies calculated from the laboratory measurements. The column density of C3N- is 0.5% that of C3N, or approximately 20 times greater than that of C4H- relative to C4H. The C3N- abundance in IRC+10216 is compared with a chemical model calculation by Petrie & Herbst. An upper limit in TMC-1 for C3N- relative to C3N (< 0.8%) and a limit for C4H- relative to C4H (< 0.004%) that is 5 times lower than that found in IRC+10216, were obtained from observations with the NRAO 100 m Green Bank Telescope (GBT). The fairly high concentration ofNRFKorean government MEST 2012R1A1A1014646, 2012M4A2026720Southeast Physics Network (SEP-Net)Science and Technology Facilities Council ST/F002858/1, ST/I000976/1Swedish Research Council 2009-4088U.S. NSF AST-0708176, AST-1009799NASA NNX07AH09G, NNG04G177G, NNX11AE09GChandra grant SAO TM8-9009XBiochemistr

Inclination-Independent Galaxy Classification

We present a new method to classify galaxies from large surveys like the Sloan Digital Sky Survey using inclination-corrected concentration, inclination-corrected location on the color-magnitude diagram, and apparent axis ratio. Explicitly accounting for inclination tightens the distribution of each of these parameters and enables simple boundaries to be drawn that delineate three different galaxy populations: Early-type galaxies, which are red, highly concentrated, and round; Late-type galaxies, which are blue, have low concentrations, and are disk dominated; and Intermediate-type galaxies, which are red, have intermediate concentrations, and have disks. We have validated our method by comparing to visual classifications of high-quality imaging data from the Millennium Galaxy Catalogue. The inclination correction is crucial to unveiling the previously unrecognized Intermediate class. Intermediate-type galaxies, roughly corresponding to lenticulars and early spirals, lie on the red sequence. The red sequence is therefore composed of two distinct morphological types, suggesting that there are two distinct mechanisms for transiting to the red sequence. We propose that Intermediate-type galaxies are those that have lost their cold gas via strangulation, while Early-type galaxies are those that have experienced a major merger that either consumed their cold gas, or whose merger progenitors were already devoid of cold gas (the ``dry merger'' scenario).Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ. 7 pages in emulateap

Detection of HC11N in the Cold Dust Cloud TMC-1

Two consecutive rotational transitions of the long cyanopolyyne HC11N, J=39-38, and J=38-37, have been detected in the cold dust cloud TMC-1 at the frequencies expected from recent laboratory measurements by Travers et al. (1996), and at about the expected intensities. The astronomical lines have a mean radial velocity of 5.8(1) km/s, in good agreement with the shorter cyanopolyynes HC7N and HC9N observed in this very sharp-lined source [5.82(5) and 5.83(5) km/s, respectively]. The column density of HC11N is calculated to be 2.8x10^(11) cm^(-2). The abundance of the cyanopolyynes decreases smoothly with length to HC11N, the decrement from one to the next being about 6 for the longer carbon chains.Comment: plain tex 10 pages plus 3 ps fig file

Physical activity patterns in a nationally representative sample of adults in Ireland

Original article can be found at: http://journals.cambridge.org/ Copyright - the authors. DOI: 10.1079/PHN2001192Objective To evaluate habitual levels of physical activity in a nationally representative sample of adults in Ireland. Design Cross-sectional survey using a self-administered questionnaire. Usual levels of work, recreational and household activities were evaluated in relation to anthropometric, demographic and socio-economic characteristics. The amount and intensity of all activities were quantified by assigning metabolic equivalents (METS) to each activity. Setting Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, 1997–1999. Subjects Random sample of 1379 adults aged 18–64 years. Results Men were approximately twice as active in work and recreational activity (139.7 ± 83.9 METS) as women (68.5 ± 49.8 METS; P 28kg m−2) or obese (BMI > 30kg m−2). Fewer obese subjects reported higher levels of work and leisure activities. However, a higher percentage of obese women reported participation in the higher levels of household activities. Participation rates in recreational activities were low. Walking was the most important leisure activity of both men (41%) and women (60%). In terms of hours per week spent in vigorous physical activity, men were more active than women, professional and skilled non-manual women were more active than women in other social classes, and younger subjects (aged 18–35 years) were more active than older subjects. Conclusions The holistic approach used in the assessment of physical activity in this study has revealed important and subtle differences in the activity patterns of men and women. Failure to fully characterise the respective activity patterns of men and women could lead to ill-informed public health policy aimed at promoting and sustaining lifetime habits of physical activity. The results suggest that simple population-focused programmes to promote physical activity are unlikely to offer the same chance of long-term success as more sensitive and individualised strategies.Peer reviewe

The impact of baryonic processes on the two-point correlation functions of galaxies, subhaloes and matter

The observed clustering of galaxies and the cross-correlation of galaxies and mass provide important constraints on both cosmology and models of galaxy formation. Even though the dissipation and feedback processes associated with galaxy formation are thought to affect the distribution of matter, essentially all models used to predict clustering data are based on collisionless simulations. Here, we use large hydrodynamical simulations to investigate how galaxy formation affects the autocorrelation functions of galaxies and subhaloes, as well as their cross-correlation with matter. We show that the changes due to the inclusion of baryons are not limited to small scales and are even present in samples selected by subhalo mass. Samples selected by subhalo mass cluster ~10% more strongly in a baryonic run on scales r > 1Mpc/h, and this difference increases for smaller separations. While the inclusion of baryons boosts the clustering at fixed subhalo mass on all scales, the sign of the effect on the cross-correlation of subhaloes with matter can vary with radius. We show that the large-scale effects are due to the change in subhalo mass caused by the strong feedback associated with galaxy formation and may therefore not affect samples selected by number density. However, on scales r < r_vir significant differences remain after accounting for the change in subhalo mass. We conclude that predictions for galaxy-galaxy and galaxy-mass clustering from models based on collisionless simulations will have errors greater than 10% on sub-Mpc scales, unless the simulation results are modified to correctly account for the effects of baryons on the distributions of mass and satellites.Comment: 15 pages, 9 figures. Replaced to match the version accepted by MNRA