Investigation of solid state traveling-wave- amplifier techniques for future satellite applications Quarterly progress report no. 4, 1 Mar. - 30 Jun. 1965

Solid state traveling wave amplifier techniques for satellite application

FARMERS' DECISION PROCESSES AND ADOPTION OF CONSERVATION TILLAGE

In a transect survey of crop residue levels in 1995 and 1996, two Minnesota counties had very different percentages of cropland with desired residue cover even though the soil types were similar. To gain a better understanding of the reasons behind this difference, the farmers in these two counties were surveyed about their use or lack of use of conservation tillage practices. A statistical logit analysis of survey responses showed farmers are more apt to adopt conservation tillage if they are larger; are more concerned about erosion on their land; have made a recent major investment in the farm; use other producers for tillage information; have the management skill for conservation tillage; and believe conservation tillage will fit with their production goals and the physical setting of their farm. Two counterintuitive findings are the negative effects of the ease of finding information and the degree of control of the adoption decision. The costs and labor requirements of conservation tillage were important but not as statistically significant as those factors just listed. Some variables, that are often listed as potentially important factors, were not found to be important in this survey. These included the long-term viability of the farm; the age, education, and experience of the farmer; the debt level of the farm; whether a family member wanted to continue farming; the proportion of land rented; the use of other sources for tillage information; the complexity of conservation tillage practices; the producer's planning horizon; the risk of negative returns; the availability of support for conservation tillage systems; and the quality of conservation tillage information.Crop Production/Industries,

Investigation of solid state traveling-wave amplifier techniques for future satellite applications monthly progress report no. 5, 1 - 31 jan. 1965

Solid state traveling wave amplifier techniques for satellite application

ENVIRO-ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF PHOSPHORUS NONPOINT POLLUTION

The state of Minnesota seeks to reduce phosphorus loading to the Minnesota River by 40% from current levels. The state agency charged with achieving this reduction has indicated each watershed should reduce its current phosphorus loading by 40%. We hypothesized that policies targeting specific practices or regions would have a smaller negative impact on farm income than policies requiring every nonpoint polluter to reduce its contribution by 40%. Using a stylized version of one major watershed in the river basin as an example, we analyzed the cost-effectiveness of various nonpoint pollution reduction policies. We simulated current and alternative farming systems (designed to reduce phosphorus loading by changing tillage or fertilizer practices) in distinct regions within the watershed using a biophysical process model. For each system, estimates of phosphorus loading from biophysical simulation were combined with production cost and return estimates to create an enviro-economic model of the watershed. Additionally, risk premiums were estimated and included with cost estimates for each alternative system. We used a positive math-programming (PMP) version of the enviro-economic model to analyze nonpoint pollution reduction policies (pollution standard, phosphorus effluent tax, conventional tillage tax, and phosphorus fertilizer tax). When regions and practices within the watershed could be targeted for achieving the pollution reduction standard, 13,500 fewer hectares (6% reduction from the baseline cropland level) were farmed. When the same standard was uniformly applied to all regions (not targeted), cropland decline by 40,500 hectares (20%). Under either scenario, cropland was removed from production, implying some producers may exit farming. Cropland reductions resulted in farmers losing $2.8 million (5$11.4 million (21%). This finding illustrates how difficulty it is to reduce nonpoint pollution if one does not focus on specific regions. An effluent tax of $74 per kilogram of phosphorus reaching the river was needed to reduce phosphorus loading by 40$14 million (25% reduction from the baseline income level), $11 million of which were revenues from the effluent tax. Neither the conventional tillage tax nor the phosphorus fertilizer tax achieved a 40% reduction in phosphorus loading. This finding illustrates the difficulty of reducing nonpoint pollution by focusing only on one practice. Under a pollution-reduction standard, our results indicated it is more cost effective to reduce nonpoint pollution by targeting particular regions or practices in a watershed compared to not targeting. Specifically, producers farming on cropland susceptible to erosion in close proximity to water who switch from conventional tillage to conservation tillage and reduce phosphorus fertilization levels to those recommended by the state extension service will appreciably reduce phosphorus nonpoint pollution loading potential. Efforts to target those producers could minimize potential losses in farm income in the watersheds and the river basin.Environmental Economics and Policy,

William Langer\u27s Rise to Political Prominence in North Dakota

The purpose of this research was to record the early life and political career of the former Attorney General, Governor, and Senator from North Dakota, William Langer. Due to the magnitude of his career, the study was focused on his youth, his education, his first political campaign and election as Morton County States Attorney, his work as States Attorney, and his campaign and election as Attorney General of North Dakota in 1916. The procedure involved a detailed study of the first thirty years of Langer\u27s life. This included interviews with three of his sisters, one of his daughters, and the utilization of other contemporary sources. His educational career at the University of North Dakota and at Columbia University, New York, was analysed through the Langer Papers, published materials, and school newspapers and records. His early political career as States Attorney (1915-1916) and his rise to attorney general were revealed through the Langer Papers, newspapers, and various secondary sources. In conclusion, the study reveals Langer as an ambitious, energetic, and determined young man with an intense desire to attain his goals. Combining his desire with ability, political skill, and diligence, Langer quickly achieved an impressive record and rose to political prominence in North Dakota

Aerodynamic characteristics of the 40- by 80/80- by 120-foot wind tunnel at NASA Ames Research Center

The design and testing of vane sets and air-exchange inlet for the 40 x 80/80 x 120-ft wind tunnel at NASA Ames are reported. Boundary-layer analysis and 2D and 3D inviscid panel codes are employed in computer models of the system, and a 1/10-scale 2D facility and a 1/50-scale 3D model of the entire wind tunnel are used in experimental testing of the vane sets. The results are presented in graphs, photographs, drawings, and diagrams are discussed. Generally good agreement is found between the predicted and measured performance

On the origin of the reversed vortex ratchet motion

We experimentally demonstrate that the origin of multiply reversed rectified vortex motion in an asymmetric pinning landscape is a consequence not only of the vortex-vortex interactions but also essentially depends on the ratio between the characteristic interaction distance and the period of the asymmetric pinning potential. Our system consists of an Al film deposited on top of a square array of size-graded magnetic dots with a constant lattice period a=2\mu m. Four samples with different periods of the size gradient d were investigated. For large d the dc voltage Vdc recorded under a sinusoidal ac excitation indicates that the average vortex drift is from bigger to smaller dots for all explored positive fields. As d is reduced a series of sign reversals in the dc response are observed as a function of field. We show that the number of sign reversals increases as d decreases. These findings are in agreement with recent computer simulations and illustrate the relevance of the different characteristic lengths for the vortex rectification effects.Comment: accepted in Phys. Rev. Let

Interview with Fern Moore

An interview with Fern Moore regarding her experiences in a one-room school house.https://scholars.fhsu.edu/ors/1154/thumbnail.jp