7,704 research outputs found
The ambitions and challenges of SROI.
With the growing interest in measuring the social impact of third sector activities, there have been a range of approaches developed. One of these, social return on investment (SROI) has received particular attention and is being promoted by third sector organisations, as well as public and private bodies. This paper examines this approach in detail and identifies a series of issues that require further investigation. These include technical and methodological issues related to this adjusted cost-benefit analysis such as quantifying the value of social benefits, and attribution; the judgement involved in setting indicators; whether projects deemed successful based on an SROI analysis can provide the basis for replicability and scaling up; and the ways in which SROI is being used by stakeholders. Through examining these challenges in detail, the approaches to measuring social impact can be strengthened, standardised and made more rigorous. While the issues raised here are essential to developing SROI further, they are also valid for more general discussions regarding the proving and improving of the value added by the UK third sector
Sampling Distributions of Random Electromagnetic Fields in Mesoscopic or Dynamical Systems
We derive the sampling probability density function (pdf) of an ideal
localized random electromagnetic field, its amplitude and intensity in an
electromagnetic environment that is quasi-statically time-varying statistically
homogeneous or static statistically inhomogeneous. The results allow for the
estimation of field statistics and confidence intervals when a single spatial
or temporal stochastic process produces randomization of the field. Results for
both coherent and incoherent detection techniques are derived, for Cartesian,
planar and full-vectorial fields. We show that the functional form of the
sampling pdf depends on whether the random variable is dimensioned (e.g., the
sampled electric field proper) or is expressed in dimensionless standardized or
normalized form (e.g., the sampled electric field divided by its sampled
standard deviation). For dimensioned quantities, the electric field, its
amplitude and intensity exhibit different types of
Bessel sampling pdfs, which differ significantly from the asymptotic
Gauss normal and ensemble pdfs when is relatively
small. By contrast, for the corresponding standardized quantities, Student ,
Fisher-Snedecor and root- sampling pdfs are obtained that exhibit
heavier tails than comparable Bessel pdfs. Statistical uncertainties
obtained from classical small-sample theory for dimensionless quantities are
shown to be overestimated compared to dimensioned quantities. Differences in
the sampling pdfs arising from de-normalization versus de-standardization are
obtained.Comment: 12 pages, 15 figures, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. E, minor
typos correcte
Accessibility of the resources of near Earth space using multi-impulse transfers
Most future concepts for exploration and exploitation of space require a large initial mass in low Earth orbit. Delivering this mass requires overcoming Earth's natural gravity well, which imposes a distinct obstacle to space-faring. An alternative for future space progress is to search for resources in-situ among the near Earth asteroid population. This paper examines the scenario of future utilization of asteroid resources. The near Earth asteroid resources that could be transferred to a bound Earth orbit are determined by integrating the probability of finding asteroids inside the Keplerian orbital element space of the set of transfers with an specific energy smaller than a given threshold. Transfers are defined by a series of impulsive maneuvers and computed using the patched-conic approximation. The results show that even moderately low energy transfers enable access to a large mass of resources
Electric-field noise from carbon-adatom diffusion on a Au(110) surface: first-principles calculations and experiments
The decoherence of trapped-ion quantum gates due to heating of their motional
modes is a fundamental science and engineering problem. This heating is
attributed to electric-field noise arising from the trap-electrode surfaces. In
this work, we investigate the source of this noise by focusing on the diffusion
of carbon-containing adsorbates on the surface of Au(110). We show by density
functional theory, based on detailed scanning probe microscopy, how the carbon
adatom diffusion on the gold surface changes the energy landscape, and how the
adatom dipole moment varies with the diffusive motion. A simple model for the
diffusion noise, which varies quadratically with the variation of the dipole
moment, qualitatively reproduces the measured noise spectrum, and the estimate
of the noise spectral density is in accord with measured values.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figure
The solar maximum satellite capture cell: Impact features and orbital debris and micrometeoritic projectile materials
The physical properties of impact features observed in the Solar Max main electronics box (MEB) thermal blanket generally suggest an origin by hypervelocity impact. The chemistry of micrometeorite material suggests that a wide variety of projectile materials have survived impact with retention of varying degrees of pristinity. Impact features that contain only spacecraft paint particles are on average smaller than impact features caused by micrometeorite impacts. In case both types of materials co-occur, it is belevied that the impact feature, generally a penetration hole, was caused by a micrometeorite projectile. The typically smaller paint particles were able to penetrate though the hole in the first layer and deposit in the spray pattern on the second layer. It is suggested that paint particles have arrived with a wide range of velocities relative to the Solar Max satellite. Orbiting paint particles are an important fraction of materials in the near-Earth environment. In general, the data from the Solar Max studies are a good calibration for the design of capture cells to be flown in space and on board Space Station. The data also suggest that development of multiple layer capture cells in which the projectile may retain a large degree of pristinity is a feasible goal
The Exceptionally Luminous Type Ia Supernova 2007If
SN 2007if was the third over-luminous Type Ia supernova (SN Ia) detected after 2003fg and 2006gz. We present the photometric and spectroscopic observations of the SN and its host by ROTSE-III, HET, and Keck. From the H a line identified in the host spectra, we determine a redshift of 0.0736. At this distance, the SN reached an absolute magnitude of -20.4, brighter than any other SNe Ia ever observed. If the source of luminosity is radioactive decay, a large amount of radioactive nickel (similar to 1.5 M(circle dot)) is required to power the peak luminosity, more than can be produced realistically in a Chandrasekhar mass progenitor. Low expansion velocity, similar to that of 2003fg, is also measured around the maximum light. The observations may suggest that SN 2007if was from a massive white dwarf progenitor, plausibly exploding with mass well beyond 1.4 M(circle dot). Alternatively, we investigate circumstellar interaction that may contribute to the excess luminosity.NASA NNX-08AN25G, NNX-08AV63GNSF AST-0707769, PHY-0801007Australian Research CouncilUniversity of New South WalesUniversity of TexasUniversity of MichiganAstronom
'Nano' Morphology and Element Signatures of Early Life on Earth: A New Tool for Assessing Biogenicity
The relatively young technology of NanoSIMS is unlocking an exciting new level of information from organic matter in ancient sediments. We are using this technique to characterize Proterozoic organic material that is clearly biogenic as a guide for interpreting controversial organic structures in either terrestrial or extraterrestrial samples. NanoSIMS is secondary ion mass spectrometry for trace element and isotope analysis at sub-micron resolution. In 2005, Robert et al. [1] combined NanoSIMS element maps with optical microscopic imagery in an effort to develop a new method for assessing biogenicity of Precambrian structures. The ability of NanoSIMS to map simultaneously the distribution of organic elements with a 50 nm spatial resolution provides new biologic markers that could help define the timing of life s development on Earth. The current study corroborates the work of Robert et al. and builds on their study by using NanoSIMS to map C, N (as CN), S, Si and O of both excellently preserved microfossils and less well preserved, non-descript organics in Proterozoic chert from the ca. 0.8 Ga Bitter Springs Formation of Australia
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Observation and analysis of in situ carbonaceous matter in Nakhla: Part I
New analyses of indigenous secondary material in the martian meteorite Nakhla reveal amorphous carbon-rich veins and dendrites. The texture and chemistry of this material resembles that of biogenically altered sub-ocean basaltic glasses
Symmetric Instantons and Skyrme Fields
By explicit construction of the ADHM data, we prove the existence of a charge
seven instanton with icosahedral symmetry. By computing the holonomy of this
instanton we obtain a Skyrme field which approximates the minimal energy charge
seven Skyrmion. We also present a one parameter family of tetrahedrally
symmetric instantons whose holonomy gives a family of Skyrme fields which
models a Skyrmion scattering process, where seven well-separated Skyrmions
collide to form the icosahedrally symmetric Skyrmion.Comment: 22 pages plus 1 figure in GIF forma
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