Probing the cool ISM in galaxies via 21cm HI absorption

Recent targeted studies of associated HI absorption in radio galaxies are starting to map out the location, and potential cosmological evolution, of the cold gas in the host galaxies of Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN). The observed 21 cm absorption profiles often show two distinct spectral-line components: narrow, deep lines arising from cold gas in the extended disc of the galaxy, and broad, shallow lines from cold gas close to the AGN (e.g. Morganti et al. 2011). Here, we present results from a targeted search for associated HI absorption in the youngest and most recently-triggered radio AGN in the local universe (Allison et al. 2012b). So far, by using the recently commissioned Australia Telescope Compact Array Broadband Backend (CABB; Wilson et al. 2011), we have detected two new absorbers and one previously-known system. While two of these show both a broad, shallow component and a narrow, deep component (see Fig. 1), one of the new detections has only a single broad, shallow component. Interestingly, the host galaxies of the first two detections are classified as gas-rich spirals, while the latter is an early-type galaxy. These detections were obtained using a spectral-line finding method, based on Bayesian inference, developed for future large-scale absorption surveys (Allison et al. 2012a).Comment: 1 page, 1 figure, published in Proceedings of IAU Symposium No. 29

Shock Tube Determination of Autoionization Lifetime and Oscillator Strengths of the 352 3P 2Po-353P2 2S1/2 Doublet of Al I Scientific Report No. 2

Shock tube measurement of autoionization lifetime and oscillator strengths of states above first ionization potential for aluminu

On the 6s6p2 2S1/2 Level and the Configuration-mixing of the 6s6p2 4P3/2 Level in T1I Scientific Report No. 11

Absorption spectrum of shock heated thallium vapo

Whales, dolphins, and porpoises of the eastern North Pacific and adjacent Arctic waters: a guide to their identification

This is an identification guide for cetaceans (whales, dolphins, and porpoises), that was designed to assist laymen in identifying cetaceans encountered in eastern North Pacific and Arctic waters. It was intended for use by ongoing cetacean observer programs. This is a revision of an earlier guide with the same title published in 1972 by the Naval Undersa Center and the National Marine Fisheries Service. It includes sections on identifying cetaceans at sea as well as stranded animals on shore. Species accounts are divided by body size and presence or lack of a dorsal fin. Appendices include illustrations of tags on whales, dolphins, and porpoises, by Larry Hobbs; how to record data from observed cetaceans at sea and for stranded cetaceans; and a list of cetacean names in Japanese and Russian. (Document contains 245 pages - file takes considerable time to open

Can analyses of electronic patient records be independently and externally validated? The effect of statins on the mortality of patients with ischaemic heart disease: a cohort study with nested case-control analysis

Objective To conduct a fully independent and external validation of a research study based on one electronic health record database, using a different electronic database sampling the same population. Design Using the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD), we replicated a published investigation into the effects of statins in patients with ischaemic heart disease (IHD) by a different research team using QResearch. We replicated the original methods and analysed all-cause mortality using: (1) a cohort analysis and (2) a case-control analysis nested within the full cohort. Setting Electronic health record databases containing longitudinal patient consultation data from large numbers of general practices distributed throughout the UK. Participants CPRD data for 34 925 patients with IHD from 224 general practices, compared to previously published results from QResearch for 13 029 patients from 89 general practices. The study period was from January 1996 to December 2003. Results We successfully replicated the methods of the original study very closely. In a cohort analysis, risk of death was lower by 55% for patients on statins, compared with 53% for QResearch (adjusted HR 0.45, 95% CI 0.40 to 0.50; vs 0.47, 95% CI 0.41 to 0.53). In case-control analyses, patients on statins had a 31% lower odds of death, compared with 39% for QResearch (adjusted OR 0.69, 95% CI 0.63 to 0.75; vs OR 0.61, 95% CI 0.52 to 0.72). Results were also close for individual statins. Conclusions Database differences in population characteristics and in data definitions, recording, quality and completeness had a minimal impact on key statistical outputs. The results uphold the validity of research using CPRD and QResearch by providing independent evidence that both datasets produce very similar estimates of treatment effect, leading to the same clinical and policy decisions. Together with other non-independent replication studies, there is a nascent body of evidence for wider validity

Performance of charge-injection-device infrared detector arrays at low and moderate backgrounds

Three 2 x 64 element charge injection device infrared detector arrays were tested at low and moderate background to evaluate their usefulness for space based astronomical observations. Testing was conducted both in the laboratory and in ground based telescope observations. The devices showed an average readout noise level below 200 equivalent electrons, a peak responsivity of 4 A/W, and a noise equivalent power of 3x10 sq root of W/Hz. Array well capacity was measured to be significantly smaller than predicted. The measured sensitivity, which compares well with that of nonintegrating discrete extrinsic silicon photoconductors, shows these arrays to be useful for certain astronomical observations. However, the measured readout efficiency and frequency response represent serious limitations in low background applications

Historical Population Characteristics of Bowhead Whales (Balaena mysticetus) in Hudson Bay

Historical records of commercial whalers operating in northwestern Hudson Bay during the 19th century were examined for information on size, age, sex, and location of bowhead whales that were either sighted or killed. Correlations between body size and either oil yield or baleen length were used to estimate the relative age classes (calf, subadult, adult) of whales for which no explicit age-class information was reported in the whaling logbooks. Cow-calf pairs and subadults, as well as adult whales, were sighted or killed throughout the whaling season in the area extending from Wager Bay south to Marble Island. This finding indicates that whales of many different age classes were present south of Wager Bay, even during the open-water period when whaling activity shifted northward to include Repulse Bay and Lyon Inlet. Recent observations suggest that few bowhead whales occur south of Wager Bay during the open-water season and that the population in this area has not recovered from the effects of commercial whaling. It is not clear whether this group of bowheads was a separate stock or, alternatively, waters south from Wager Bay constituted a second calf-rearing area for a single Hudson Bay-Foxe Basin stock.On s'est penché sur des documents historiques provenant de baleiniers commerciaux en activité dans le nord-ouest de la baie d'Hudson au XIXe siècle, afin d'extraire de l'information sur la taille, l'âge, le sexe et l'emplacement des baleines boréales qui avaient été aperçues ou tuées. On s'est servi des corrélations entre la taille des cétacés et la production d'huile ou la longueur des fanons pour estimer les groupes d'âge relatifs (baleineau, subadulte, adulte) de baleines pour lesquelles aucune information explicite sur le groupe d'âge n'avait été rapportée dans le livre de bord des baleiniers. Des paires de baleine mère-petit et des subadultes ainsi que des mâles adultes avaient été aperçus ou tués durant toute la saison de chasse à la baleine dans la zone s'étendant de la baie Wager jusqu'à l'île Marble vers le sud. Ces résultats montrent que des baleines appartenant à de nombreux groupes d'âge se trouvaient au sud de la baie Wager, même durant la période d'eau libre quand la pêche à la baleine se déplaçait plus au nord en incluant Repulse Bay et Lyon Inlet. Des observations récentes suggèrent que peu de baleines boréales sont maintenant présentes au sud de la baie Wager durant la saison d'eau libre et que, dans cette zone, la population n'a pas récupéré des effets de la chasse commerciale à la baleine. On ne sait pas exactement si ce groupe de baleines boréales appartenait à un stock distinct, ou si, par contre, les eaux au sud de la baie Wager représentaient une deuxième zone d'élevage des petits pour un stock unique habitant la baie d'Hudson et le bassin de Foxe