Wavelength-selective, sequential Q-switching laser cavity

Single-frequency continuous output of laser is converted into series of high-power laser pulses at high repetition rates. Applications include pollutant detection by absorption, laser gain measurements at discrete wavelengths, laser propagation measurement, and laser plasma diagnostics

Latinos in Southwest Missouri : Capturing the American Dream through Farming

The "Latinos in Missouri" occasional paper series grew from the writing experiences of graduate students in Rural Sociology 8287: The Sociology of Globalization.Includes bibliographical references.Even as farm ownership is declining in the US as a whole, an increasing number of Latinos are entering the farming business. In fact, Latinos are the fastest growing ethnic group of farm owner/operators in Missouri and in the US as a whole. This paper examines the growing phenomenon of Latino-owned farms in Missouri through the use of 2002 Census of Agriculture figures and a 2004 survey of Latino farm owners in Missouri. Interviews were conducted with Latino dairy producers to give greater depth to the census and survey figures. Particular attention was paid to Latino access to capital, a significant barrier to entry in capital-intensive farming operations. Questions focused on Latino farmers' needs for debt financing, as well as experiences with local financial institutions, including banks and/or credit unions, the Farm Service Agency (including the former FmHA-Farmers Home Administration), and Farm Credit Services.Occasional Paper Series Developed with Support from the Cambio Center

A technique for breaking ice in the path of a ship

A technique is described for breaking ice in the path of a ship. A laser is placed on the bow of the ship with apparatus to scan the ice in the path of the ship with the laser beam. The beam cuts or shatters the ice, enabling the ship to break the ice in its path

Near Space Environments: Tethering Systems

Near Space Environments, the Rocket University (Rocket U) program dealing with high altitude balloons carrying payloads into the upper earth atmosphere is the field of my project. The tethering from balloon to payload is the specific system I am responsible for. The tethering system includes, the lines that tie the payload to the balloon, as well as, lines that connect payloads together, if they are needed, as well as how to sever the tether to release payloads from the balloon. My objective is to design a tethering system that will carry a payload to any desired altitude and then sever by command at any given point during flight

Paths to agroforestry: landowner types, land use and perceptions

The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file.Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on January 4, 2008)Includes bibliographical references.Thesis (M.S.) University of Missouri-Columbia 2007.Dissertations, Academic -- University of Missouri--Columbia -- Rural sociology.Land in the United States is predominantly owned by private individuals and families, and has traditionally been used for economic profit through agricultural or timber production. However, U.S. landownership patterns are changing, and an increasing number of landowners are acquiring land for non-monetary, amenity-based reasons. These changes impact landscapes and effective delivery of agroforestry and natural resource-based education and technical assistance programs. This thesis examines the adoption of conservation practices, landowner typologies, environmental concern and attitudes, and changing motivations for landownership to explore the relationships between landowner types, land use orientation, perceptions of trees and knowledge and interest in agroforestry practices. Two models of landowner types are utilized, one based on the distance landowners live from their land, the second based on their current or former involvement in agriculture

Reactions of (-)-sparteine with alkali metal HMDS complexes : conventional meets the unconventional

Conventional (-)-sparteine adducts of lithium and sodium 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexamethyldisilazide (HMDS) were prepared and characterised, along with an unexpected and unconventional hydroxyl-incorporated sodium sodiate, [(-)-sparteine·Na(-HMDS)Na·(-)-sparteine]+[Na4(-HMDS)4(OH)]--the complex anion of which is the first inverse crown ether anion

Femtosecond coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering measurement of gas temperatures from frequency-spread dephasing of the Raman coherence

Gas-phase temperatures and concentrations are measured from the magnitude and decay of the initial Raman coherence in femtosecond coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS). A time-delayed probe beam is scattered from the Raman polarization induced by pump and Stokes beams to generate CARS signal; the dephasing rate of this initial coherence is determined by the temperature-sensitive frequency spread of the Raman transitions. Temperature is measured from the CARS signal decrease with increasing probe delay. Concentration is found from the ratio of the CARS and nonresonant background signals. Collision rates do not affect the determination of these quantities

Classification of areas using pixel-by-pixel and sample classifiers

There are no author-identified significant results in this report

Qualification Tests of 474 Photomultiplier Tubes for the Inner Detector of the Double Chooz Experiment

The hemispherical 10" photomultiplier tube (PMT) R7081 from Hamamatsu Photonics K.K. (HPK) is used in various experiments in particle and astroparticle physics. We describe the test and calibration of 474 PMTs for the reactor antineutrino experiment Double Chooz. The unique test setup at Max-Planck-Institut f\"ur Kernphysik Heidelberg (MPIK) allows one to calibrate 30 PMTs simultaneously and to characterize the single photo electron response, transit time spread, linear behaviour and saturation effects, photon detection efficiency and high voltage calibration

Qualification Tests of 474 Photomultiplier Tubes for the Inner Detector of the Double Chooz Experiment

The hemispherical 10" photomultiplier tube (PMT) R7081 from Hamamatsu Photonics K.K. (HPK) is used in various experiments in particle and astroparticle physics. We describe the test and calibration of 474 PMTs for the reactor antineutrino experiment Double Chooz. The unique test setup at Max-Planck-Institut f\"ur Kernphysik Heidelberg (MPIK) allows one to calibrate 30 PMTs simultaneously and to characterize the single photo electron response, transit time spread, linear behaviour and saturation effects, photon detection efficiency and high voltage calibration