Cesium plasma spectroscopy. Electron number density measured by Stark shift of spectral lines Final report

Electron density measurement from atomic spectral line widths and shifts in cesium plasma electric discharg

On the importance of including vegetation dynamics in Budyko's hydrological model

The Budyko curve describes the patterns observed between between climate, evapotranspiration and run-off and has proven to be a useful model for predicting catchment energy and water balances. In this paper we review the Budyko curve's underlying framework and, based on the literature, present an argument for why it is important to include vegetation dynamics into the framework for some purposes. The Budyko framework assumes catchments are at steady-state and are driven by the macro-climate, two conditions dependent on the scales of application, such that the framework's reliability is greatest when applied using long-term averages (≫1 year) and to large catchments (> 10 000 km2). At these scales previous experience has shown that the hydrological role of vegetation does not need to be explicitly considered within the framework. By demonstrating how dynamics in the leaf area, photosynthetic capacity and rooting depth of vegetation affect not only annual and seasonal vegetation water use, but also steady-state conditions, we argue that it is necessary to explicitly include vegetation dynamics into the Budyko framework before it is applied at small scales. Such adaptations would extend the framework not only to applications at small timescales and/or small catchments but to operational activities relating to vegetation and water management

Impact of CO2 fertilization on maximum foliage cover across the globe's warm, arid environments

Satellite observations reveal a greening of the globe over recent decades. The role in this greening of the "CO2 fertilization" effect-the enhancement of photosynthesis due to rising CO2 levels-is yet to be established. The direct CO2 effect on vegetatio

Functions of Guilt and Reparative Behaviors in Middle Childhood

Guilt theoretically functions to motivate reparative behaviors, which, in turn, theoretically function to alleviate guilt and prevent psychopathology. Although several empirical studies in adults have demonstrated that guilt and reparative behaviors function as theorized, research has not investigated causal relations between guilt and reparative behaviors in children. Thus, this study examined whether guilt motivates children’s reparative behaviors, and whether their reparative behaviors successfully alleviate guilty feelings. Six-to ten-year olds (N = 97) were randomly assigned to one of three conditions. In the experimental condition, children were led to believe that they had transgressed to cause a peer’s distress. Children self-reported their guilt feelings following the pretend transgression, and then had the opportunity to repair the transgression by giving stickers and writing a note to the victimized peer. Following the repair opportunity, children self-reported their guilt a second time. Children in the experimental condition (i.e., children who felt guilty) engaged in greater reparative behavior relative to children in a no-guilt condition who were led to believe that they had caused a peer’s positive emotions. Further, children in the experimental condition reported reduced guilt at the second measurement, whereas children in the no-repair condition (who were led to believe that they had transgressed but were not be given a repair opportunity) did not report reduced guilt over time. Results demonstrate that guilt and reparative behaviors function as theorized in children and may begin to inform reparative interventions aimed at preventing unalleviated, maladaptive guilt and psychopathology

SAMUEL MORTON, JOSIAH NOTT, AND THE ORIGINS OF THE `AMERICAN SCHOOL': AUTHORITY, GENIUS, AND SYSTEMS-BUILDING IN NINETEENTH CENTURY ETHNOLOGY

This thesis traces the origin and development of the "American School" of ethnology from the natural historical debate over the nature of hybridity and the definition of species between the naturalist John Bachman and the ethnologist Samuel George Morton to the posthumous management of Samuel Morton's reputation and authority by the physician and ethnologist Josiah Nott and his collaborators in Types of Mankind for the purposes of establishing themselves as ethnological authorities in their own right

Development of chemical sensors using novel infrared sources

Two chemical sensors based on the common principle of infrared spectroscopyusing thulium doped zirconium fluoride glass and quantum cascade lasers are described. Exploiting optically absorbing molecular vibrations, IR optical sensors offer highly selective in situ sensing in compact packages. The near infrared (NIR) fluorescence of the thulium doped zirconium fluoride (ZBLAN:Tm3+) glass was characterised. A relative humidity sensor was developed using ZBLAN:Tm3+ fluorescence as a modulatable infrared spectroscopic source. The optical components, NIR detector, and detector electronics were integrated in an industrial prototype device. Relative humidity measurements were carried out to characterise the sensor. Two quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) were used for sensing a number of analytes in the mid infrared (MIR,) spectral range in a common-base optical configuration. The first laser, a distributed feedback device emitting at 6/im, was integrated into a silver halide optical fibre and a hollow waveguide, for liquid water and gaseous propylene sensing, respectively. The second laser, a Fabry-Perot device emitting at 5.625/im, was used for acetone, acetic acid and formaldehyde sensing using open path optical cells and a hollow waveguide. The second QCL was also used for the development of a pulse averaging and referencing system to eliminate sensor noise due to laser amplitude fluctuations

Study of flight management requirements during SST low visibility approach and landing operations. Volume 1 - Definition of baseline SST landing system

Baseline instrument landing system for low visibility approach and landing of supersonic transport

A Two-Dimensional, Self-Consistent Model of Galactic Cosmic Rays in the Heliosphere

We present initial results from our new two-dimensional (radius and latitude), self-consistent model of galactic cosmic rays in the heliosphere. We focus on the latitudinal variations in the solar wind flow caused by the energetic particles. Among other things our results show that the cosmic rays significantly modify the latitudinal structure of the solar wind flow downstream of the termination shock. Specifically, for A>0 (corresponding to the present solar minimum) the wind beyond the shock is driven towards the equator, resulting in a faster wind flow near the current sheet, while for A<0 the effect is reversed and the wind turns towards the pole, with a faster flow at high latitudes. We attribute this effect to the latitudinal gradients in the cosmic ray pressure, caused by drifts, that squeeze the flow towards the ecliptic plane or the pole, respectively.Comment: 10 pages, 4 Postscript figures, uses AAS LaTeX v4.0, to be published in The Astrophysical Journal Letter

A comparative study of CO adsorption on flat, stepped and kinked Au surfaces using density functional theory

Our ab initio calculations of CO adsorption energies on low miller index (111), (100), stepped (211), and kinked (532) gold surfaces show a strong dependence on local coordination with a reduction in Au atom coordination leading to higher binding energies. We find trends in adsorption energies to be similar to those reported in experiments and calculations for other metal surfaces. The (532) surface provides insights into these trends because of the availability of a large number of kink sites which naturally have the lowest coordination (6). We also find that, for all surfaces, an increase in CO coverage triggers a decrease in the adsorption energy. Changes in the work-function upon CO adsorption, as well as the frequencies of the CO vibrational modes are calculated, and their coverage dependence is reported.Comment: 18 pages, 4 figure