An atlas of GEOS-3 radar altimeter data for data buoy comparison studies

An atlas is compiled to identify times and dates when GEOS-3 altimeter data was taken in the vicinity of data buoys. The time period covered is from GEOS launch to April 9, 1978. Two buffer areas are considered for each of the various buoy locations to determine the simultaneity of GEOS and buoy data. The two buffer areas are ? or - 0.25 degrees and ? or - 1 degree

Enhanced detectability of community structure in multilayer networks through layer aggregation

Many systems are naturally represented by a multilayer network in which edges exist in multiple layers that encode different, but potentially related, types of interactions, and it is important to understand limitations on the detectability of community structure in these networks. Using random matrix theory, we analyze detectability limitations for multilayer (specifically, multiplex) stochastic block models (SBMs) in which L layers are derived from a common SBM. We study the effect of layer aggregation on detectability for several aggregation methods, including summation of the layers' adjacency matrices for which we show the detectability limit vanishes as O(L^{-1/2}) with increasing number of layers, L. Importantly, we find a similar scaling behavior when the summation is thresholded at an optimal value, providing insight into the common - but not well understood - practice of thresholding pairwise-interaction data to obtain sparse network representations.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figure

Butch Morris and the Art of Conduction

Lawrence D. "Butch" Morris is a 62-year-old composer and bandleader who was part of a cadre of North American jazz innovators whose work began coming to public attention in the mid-1970s. Since 1985 he has developed, refined, and implemented a method for creating unique ensemble music using a patented vocabulary of conducting gestures. This novel strategy and the music it produces present an array of theoretical questions. Some of these have been simplified as questions of classificatory nomenclature: Is Conduction improvisation, interpretation, composition, or none of the above? How does Conduction as a system compare to other methods of structuring musical performance in real time? Other critical and social questions are addressed whose answers hinge upon the values and functions that sustain Conduction in the real world of monetized and competitive musicianship. Through interviews with Morris and members of his ensembles as well as observations conducted at numerous Conduction rehearsals and performances, my study documents Morris' art form as a new instrumentality that offers new ways of making and thinking about music. In the course of this study, a variety of materials and sources are used to describe how Conduction® was developed, what its historical precedents are, and how it operates in real performance situations. The explanatory implications of framing Conduction practice as a novel musical instrument are also examined. This new instrument has garnered a community of users with differential investments in and expectations for Morris' vehicle and how these investments and expectations have defined Conduction's place in the domain of musical performance and education. Supported by self-reporting and analysis, Morris' method is shown to arise from a pro-ensemble orientation that seeks to breathe new life into both the jazz big band and the classical orchestra by awakening and redistributing those core capacities most essential to the production of musical sound

The Decline of Local News and its Effect on Polarization

In recent decades, local news has seen a sharp decline while political polarization has seen an increase. In this paper, I will analyze how these two trends affect one another. I hypothesize that as local news declines, there will be an increase in polarization. To test this, I use figures on newspaper circulation from Pew Research Center as a proxy for local news as well as Voteview’s polarization scores given to each US Congress. After conducting my data analysis, I found support for my hypothesis. There are statistically significant figures that show that as newspapers in circulation decrease, polarization increases. This research is timely. As the United States becomes more polarized, it is crucial to look for the causes of polarization to combat this issue

Carbon Dioxide Reduction Systems

The Methoxy system for regenerating oxygen from carbon dioxide was studied. Experiments indicate that the reaction between carbon dioxide and hydrogen can be carried out with ease in an efficient manner and with excellent heat conservation. A small reactor capable of handling the C02 expired by three men has been built and operated. The decomposition of methane by therma1,arc and catalytic processes was studied. Both the arc and catalytic processes gave encouraging results with over 90 percent of the methane being decomposed to carbon and hydrogen in some of the catalytic processes. Control of the carbon deposition in both the catalytic and arc processes is of great importance to prevent catalyst deactivation and short circuiting of electrical equipment. Sensitive analytical techniques have been developed for all of the components present in the reactor effluent streams

FARM-LEVEL RESPONSE TO AGRICULTURAL EFFLUENT CONTROL STRATEGIES: THE CASE OF THE WILLAMETTE VALLEY

This article examines economic incentives and other mechanisms to offset non-point source pollution from agriculture. A biophysical simulator to estimate technical relationships is linked to linear programming models for representative farms in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. The models are then optimized for profit maximization under alternative non-point pollution control policies. The results indicate that site-specific resource conditions and production possibilities greatly influence policy effectiveness and the cost of achieving pollution abatement. Nevertheless, some abatement is possible on all farms for relatively little cost.Environmental Economics and Policy,

Magnetic Field Response Sensor For Conductive Media

A magnetic field response sensor comprises an inductor placed at a fixed separation distance from a conductive surface to address the low RF transmissivity of conductive surfaces. The minimum distance for separation is determined by the sensor response. The inductor should be separated from the conductive surface so that the response amplitude exceeds noise level by a recommended 10 dB. An embodiment for closed cavity measurements comprises a capacitor internal to said cavity and an inductor mounted external to the cavity and at a fixed distance from the cavity s wall. An additional embodiment includes a closed cavity configuration wherein multiple sensors and corresponding antenna are positioned inside the cavity, with the antenna and inductors maintained at a fixed distance from the cavity s wall