Clerihews: A Personal History

It was many years ago that I first became acquainted with a form of light verse called a clerihew. At the time I was reading some poetry by W. H. Auden. Most of Auden\u27s poetry was serious, but some of it was light, and I especially liked the following:James WattWas the hard-boiled kind of ScotHe thought any dreamSheer waste of steam

Market regulation, labor policies and the wage-productivity gap

This paper proposes an empirical analysis about the influence of some institutional factors (taxation, active and passive labor market policies, labor and goods market regulation and unions’ participation) on the component of the wage growth not explained by the productivity growth (WP gap, thereafter). We consider a 14 OECD countries Panel Data over the period 1983-2003, using four different estimations: fixed effects vector decomposition (FEVD), fixed effects (FE), random effects (RE) and feasible general least square (FGLS). Results for all estimations show that the WP gap is affected by tax wedge, active labor market policies, employment protection for temporary workers and union density, while product market regulation and passive labor market policies do not play a significant role

Estimating spectral irradiance from measurements in seven spectral bands

Accurate measurement and characterisation of fluctuations in the irradiance environment is important for many areas of optical remote sensing. This paper reports a method of estimating spectral irradiance over the VNIR region (400 - 1100nm) from the radiance of a calibrated reference panel, measured in seven narrow (10nm) spectral bands. Earlier work established the potential for estimating spectral irradiance from multi-band data using a neural network technique (Milton et al., 2000). The approach described here uses linear regression analysis to regenerate the irradiance spectrum from data in seven reference wavelengths. The method was tested using data from a specially designed multiband radiometer – the INdependent SPectral IRradiance Estimator (INSPIRE). The irradiance spectrum was partitioned into a number of distinct regions within each of which the spectral irradiance was estimated from irradiance measured at one of the reference wavelengths. The precision of the method was found to be better than ±5% over most wavelengths from 400nm to 1100nm. Furthermore, the slope coefficients of the individual regression models were found to be sensitive to the sky radiance conditions, especially over the region 600-760nm, and improvement in the precision of the predicted spectrum (to within ±3%) was obtained by taking the diffuse-to-global (D:G) irradiance ratio at the time of measurement into account

Estimating the irradiance spectrum from measurements in a limited number of spectral bands

Accurate measurement and characterisation of fluctuations in the irradiance environment is important for many areas of optical remote sensing. This paper describes a method of estimating spectral irradiance over the region 400 – 1000 nm from the radiance of a calibrated reference panel, measured in four narrow spectral bands (FWHM approx.10 nm). The reproducibility of the method was found to have an average root mean squared error of approximately 30 mWm-2nm-1 over the region 400 nm to 1000 nm when applied to spectra covering a range of clear sky conditions typical of mid-latitude temperate regions

Regional geochemical and geophysical surveys in the Berwyn Dome and adjacent areas, north Wales

This report describes stream sediment and gravity surveys carried out across the Berwyn Dome and adjacent areas. The gravity survey confirmed the presence of a broad regional Bouguer anomaly low in the central part of the Dome, on which is superimposed several smaller irregular highs and lows. Some of these local anomalies possibly reflect small igneous bodies but more detailed gravity surveys would be needed to determine their form. Near Corwen the Bryneglwys Fault coincides with a 4.5 mGa1 anomaly but southwards the two features diverge, suggesting that the density interface is related either to a splay fault or to the eastern margin of the Lower Palaeozoic Montgomery trough. Some other structural trends are weakly reflected on the Bouguer anomaly and aeromagnetic maps, but there is no clear correlation with known base metal mineralisation. The Bouguer anomalies cannot be attributed to particular structures with any certainty but are probably due to a number of factors, including variation in the Precambrian basement and changes in the lithology and thickness of Lower Palaeozoic sedimentary rocks. There is no evidence for a large granitic body in Lower Palaeozoic rocks underlying the mineralisation at Llangynog. The aeromagnetic map suggests the presence of a magnetic basement at a depth of 3-4 km centred beneath the northwestern margin of the Dome. The stream sediment survey involved the collection of a - 100 mesh stream sediment, panned concentrate and water sample from each of the 399 sites sampled. The sample density was 1 site per 1.5 km*. Cu, Pb, Zn, Ba, Fe, Mn, Co, V, Cr, Ni, Zr, MO and Sn were determined in the stream sediments, Cu, Pb, Zn, Ba, Fe, Mn, Ce, Sn, Sb, Ti, Ni and As in the panned concentrates and Cu, Pb and Zn in stream waters. Major variations in the results are related to (i) hydrous oxide precipitation processes, (ii) contamination from human activities, (iii) base metal and baryte mineralisation, (iv) monazite concentrations in panned concentrates, (v) hitherto unrecorded gold mineralisation and (vi) lithological variations. The latter were related principally to shale-sandstone variation, but groups of elements attributable to the presence of basic intrusions, phosphatic rocks, coal measures, sandstones, limestones and volcanics were also discerned. Threshold levels were established from cumulative frequency curve analysis, and some anomalous sites were examined in the field. Anomalies did not form prominent coherent groups and were generally weak and scattered, with a wide variety of element groupings reflecting a range of causes. Many anomalous panned concentrates were examined mineralogically to try to . determine whether anomalies were related to chemically extreme background lithologies, contamination, or mineralisation. All the anomalies were related to one or more of the major causes of variation, although because of the very limited amount of follow-up work carried out the precise cause of many anomalies remains uncertain. No anomaly is considered to represent a strong prospect but several deserve further limited investigation, notably those associated with (i) gold mineralisation in the northwest of the area, (ii) baryte, perhaps accompanied by base metal ’ mineralisation, associated with Caradocian volcanics and phosphatic rocks at several localities, (iii) mineralisation associated with Llandeilian limestones and volcanic rocks north of Llanrhaeadr, and (iv) copper mineralisation associated with intrusives near the eastern margin of the Dome, where survey data is most incomplete

Impact of a Workplace Stress Reduction Program on Blood Pressure and Emotional Health in Hypertensive Employees

This study examined the impact of a workplace-based stress management program on blood pressure (BP), emotional health, and workplace-related measures in hypertensive employees of a global information technology company

Variable orifice flow regulator

A flow regulator for high-pressure fluids at elevated temperatures includes a body having a flow passage extending between inlet and outlet openings. First and second orifice members are arranged in the flow passage so at least one of the orifice members can be moved transversely in relation to the flow passage between one operating position where the two orifice openings are aligned for establishing a maximum flow rate of fluids flowing through the flow passage and at least one other operating position in which the two openings are moderately misaligned with one another for establishing a predetermined reduced flow rate of fluids flowing through the flow passage

The temporal dynamics of calibration target reflectance

A field experiment investigated the hypothesis that the nadir reflectance of calibration surface substrates (asphalt and concrete) remains stable over a range of time-scales. Measurable differences in spectral reflectance factors were found over periods as short as 30 minutes. Surface reflectance factors measured using a dual-field-of-view GER1500 spectroradiometer system showed a relationship with the relative proportion of diffuse irradiance, over periods when solar zenith changes were minimal. Reflectance measurements were collected over precise points on the calibration surfaces using a novel mobile spectroradiometer device, and uncertainty in terms of absolute reflectance was calculated as being < 0.05% within the usable range of the instrument (400-1000nm). Multi-date reflectance factors were compared using one-way ANOVA and found to differ significantly (p = 0.001). These findings illustrate the anisotropic nature of calibration surfaces, and place emphasis on the need to minimise the temporal delay in collection of field spectral measurements for vicarious calibration or empirical atmospheric correction purposes