The density of mid-sized Kuiper belt objects from ALMA thermal observations

The densities of mid-sized Kuiper belt objects are a key constraint into understanding the assembly of objects in the outer solar system. These objects are critical for understanding the currently unexplained transition from the smallest Kuiper belt objects with densities lower than that of water to the largest objects with significant rock content. Mapping this transition is made difficult by the uncertainties in the diameters of these objects, which maps into an even larger uncertainty in volume and thus density. The substantial collecting area of the Atacama Large Millimeter Array allows significantly more precise measurements of thermal emission from outer solar system objects and could potentially greatly improve the density measurements. Here we use new thermal observations of four objects with satellites to explore the improvements possible with millimeter data. We find that effects due to effective emissivity at millimeter wavelengths make it difficult to use the millimeter data directly to find diameters and thus volumes for these bodies. In addition, we find that when including the effects of model uncertainty, the true uncertainties on the sizes of outer solar system objects measured with radiometry are likely larger than those previously published. Substantial improvement in object sizes will likely require precise occultation measurements.Comment: AJ, in pres

Agricultural Tenure in England and Wales 2007

The report presents a repeat of a 1989-90 postal survey to explore the land tenurial changes in England and Wales that have resulted from legislative and structural change. Clearly, since 1990, the introduction of Farm Business Tenancies means that the two sets of results, while not directly comparable, allows the occupancy of land under unconventional forms of tenancy to be explored and contrasted. Furthermore, many factors influence the occupancy of land including taxation, inheritance laws, the profitability of farming, and structural and policy changes within the industry. Therefore, the occupancy of agricultural land in 2007 should be set against this backcloth of socio-political changes that impact upon the industry. Finally, this report is split into two sections, the first focuses on the occupation of land in England and Wales using weighted sample data, while the second explores some of the dynamics behind land tenure using the unweighted sample data.Land Tenure, Farm Business Tenancies, Agricultural Occupancy, Informal Tenure Agreements, Agricultural and Food Policy, Farm Management, Land Economics/Use,

The Darkest Shadows: Deep Mid-Infrared Extinction Mapping of a Massive Protocluster

We use deep $8\:\mu m$ Spitzer-IRAC imaging of a massive Infrared Dark Cloud (IRDC) G028.37+00.07 to construct a Mid-Infrared (MIR) extinction map that probes mass surface densities up to $\Sigma\:\sim 1\:\rm{g~cm^{-2}}$ ($A_V\sim200\:$mag), amongst the highest values yet probed by extinction mapping. Merging with a NIR extinction map of the region, creates a high dynamic range map that reveals structures down to $A_V\sim1\:$mag. We utilize the map to: (1) Measure a cloud mass $\sim7\times10^4\:M_\odot$ within a radius of $\sim8\:$pc. $^{13}$CO kinematics indicate that the cloud is gravitationally bound. It thus has the potential to form one of the most massive young star clusters known in the Galaxy. (2) Characterize the structures of 16 massive cores within the IRDC, finding they can be fit by singular polytropic spheres with $\rho\propto{r}^{-k_\rho}$ and $k_\rho=1.3\pm0.3$. They have $\overline{\Sigma}\simeq0.1-0.4\:\rm{g~cm^{-2}}$ --- relatively low values that, along with their measured cold temperatures, suggest magnetic fields, rather than accretion-powered radiative heating, are important for controlling fragmentation of these cores. (3) Determine the $\Sigma$ (equivalently column density or $A_V$) probability distribution function (PDF) for a region that is near complete for $A_V>3\:$mag. The PDF is well fit by a single log-normal with mean $\overline{A}_V\simeq9\:$mag, high compared to other known clouds. It does not exhibit a separate high-end power law tail, which has been claimed to indicate the importance of self-gravity. However, we suggest that the PDF does result from a self-similar, self-gravitating hierarchy of structure being present over a wide range of scales in the cloud.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, 1 table, accepted to ApJ

The Brain in Business: The Case for Organisational Cognitive Neuroscience?

The application of cognitive neuroscientific techniques to understanding social behaviour has resulted in many discoveries. Yet advocates of the ‘social cognitive neuroscience’ approach maintain that it suffers from a number of limitations. The most notable of these is its distance from any form of real-world applicability. One solution to this limitation is ‘Organisational Cognitive Neuroscience’ – the study of the cognitive neuroscience of human behaviour in, and in response to, organizations. Given that all of us will spend most of our lives in some sort of work related organisation, organisational cognitive neuroscience allows us to examine the cognitive underpinnings of social behaviour that occurs in what may be our most natural ecology. Here we provide a brief overview of this approach, a definition and also some possible questions that the new approach would be best suited to address

Economic Impact Assessment of Bovine Tuberculosis in the South West of England

Bovine TB (bTB) presents a significant challenge to beef and dairy farmers. In 2009 7,449 herds were subject to movement restrictions in Great Britain because of bTB. Of these, 52% were in South West England and 20% were in Devon alone. With over 25% of holdings with cattle in the South West likely to suffer a bTB breakdown within the course of a year, understanding the cost implications on farm businesses is vital in order to demonstrate the impact that this disease is having on agricultural communities and the agricultural economy. The research undertaken for this report has revealed considerable variation across a range of different types of costs associated with bTB. Consequently average figures, either for costs or calculating compensation, obscure much of the detail at an individual farm level. The research also points to a range of ‘hidden’ and longer term costs that fall beyond the scope of the compensation scheme. Finally, in addition to economic losses, bTB is imposing considerable costs on the personal well-being of many farm households and also raises profound livestock welfare issues.Bovine Tuberculosis, Costs, Beef farmers, Dairy farmers, Agricultural and Food Policy, Farm Management,

ALMA Thermal Observations of Europa

We present four daytime thermal images of Europa taken with the Atacama Large Millimeter Array. Together, these images comprise the first spatially resolved thermal dataset with complete coverage of Europa's surface. The resulting brightness temperatures correspond to a frequency of 233 GHz (1.3 mm) and a typical linear resolution of roughly 200 km. At this resolution, the images capture spatially localized thermal variations on the scale of geologic and compositional units. We use a global thermal model of Europa to simulate the ALMA observations in order to investigate the thermal structure visible in the data. Comparisons between the data and model images suggest that the large-scale daytime thermal structure on Europa largely results from bolometric albedo variations across the surface. Using bolometric albedos extrapolated from Voyager measurements, a homogenous model reproduces these patterns well, but localized discrepancies exist. These discrepancies can be largely explained by spatial inhomogeneity of the surface thermal properties. Thus, we use the four ALMA images to create maps of the surface thermal inertia and emissivity at our ALMA wavelength. From these maps, we identify a region of either particularly high thermal inertia or low emissivity near 90 degrees West and 23 degrees North, which appears anomalously cold in two of our images.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in the Astronomical Journa

More Negotiation and Less Demonstrations: The NAACP, SCLC, and Racial Conflict in Pensacola, 1970-1978

The civil rights movement is a topic that continues to inspire a tremendous amount of scholarly research. One topic that remains relatively unexplored, though, is the post-1960s struggle for black equality. Traditional narratives typically use the 1968 assassination of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as their symbolic conclusion. Yet the fight against racial injustice continued beyond King\u27s death, and the next decade brought new issues for civil rights activists. One of the most fascinating concerns the role traditional organizations, particularIy the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), played in local campaigns for black equality. Differences between the goals and tactics each used during campaigns of the 1960s have been well documented. However, the effect those differences had on grassroots campaigns beyond that tumultuous decade is a narrative largely untold. One struggle that illuminates the organizational conflict took place in northwest Florida during the mid-1970s

Zooming in to Massive Star Birth

We present high resolution (0.2", 1000 AU) 1.3 mm ALMA observations of massive infrared dark cloud clump, G028.37+00.07-C1, thought to harbor the early stages of massive star formation. Using $\rm N_2D^+$(3-2) we resolve the previously identified C1-S core, separating the bulk of its emission from two nearby protostellar sources. C1-S is thus identified as a massive ($\sim50\:M_\odot$), compact ($\sim0.1\:$pc diameter) starless core, e.g., with no signs of outflow activity. Being highly deuterated, this is a promising candidate for a pre-stellar core on the verge of collapse. An analysis of its dynamical state indicates a sub-virial velocity dispersion compared to a trans-Alfv\'enic turbulent core model. However, virial equilibrium could be achieved with sub-Alfv\'enic conditions involving $\sim2\:$mG magnetic field strengths.Comment: 19 pages, 15 figures, 4 tables, accepted by Ap