The Journal of Henry Kelsey, 1691-1692

"Prof. Bell's little book is a valuable contribution and should be read by every student of western history and exploration. It is neatly printed and contains several useful…

High-resolution spectropolarimetric observations of hot subdwarfs

We report on high-resolution spectropolarimetric observations of the hot subdwarf stars HD 76431 and Feige 66, using the ESPaDOnS echelle spectropolarimeter at CFHT. We compute cross-correlation Stokes I and V line profiles to enhance the signal-to-noise ratio. We then average all available cross-correlation profiles of each star to further decrease the noise level. Although both targets were previously reported to host kilo-gauss magnetic fields, we do not derive any evidence of large-scale photospheric fields from our sets of observations, in spite of tight error bars on the longitudinal field of the order of 60 gauss for HD 76431 and 200 gauss for Feige 66. A new analysis of FORS1 observations of HD 76431, which provided the basis for the original claim of field detection, confirms the absence of any detectable Zeeman signature, with an error bar of about 100 gauss on the longitudinal magnetic field.Comment: Proceedings of the fifth meeting on hot subdwarf stars and related object

Quasi-normal modes for doubly rotating black holes

Based on the work of Chen, L\"u and Pope, we derive expressions for the $D\geq 6$ dimensional metric for Kerr-(A)dS black holes with two independent rotation parameters and all others set equal to zero: $a_1\neq 0, a_2\neq0, a_3=a_4=...=0$. The Klein-Gordon equation is then explicitly separated on this background. For $D\geq 6$ this separation results in a radial equation coupled to two generalized spheroidal angular equations. We then develop a full numerical approach that utilizes the Asymptotic Iteration Method (AIM) to find radial Quasi-Normal Modes (QNMs) of doubly rotating flat Myers-Perry black holes for slow rotations. We also develop perturbative expansions for the angular quantum numbers in powers of the rotation parameters up to second order.Comment: RevTeX 4-1, various figure

Condition Reporting and Resolution

This procedure facilitates a safety conscious work environment by providing a mechanism for employees to make management aware of existing and potential conditions. This procedure establishes the responsibilities and process to be used to ensure that conditions related to, but not limited to, the environment, safety, health, waste isolation, operations, security, or quality of items and services associated with Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management (OCRWM) work activities are promptly identified, controlled, evaluated, and corrected as soon as practical. This procedure describes the process flow, controls, interfaces, and requirements for condition identification and resolution. This includes adverse conditions as well as opportunities for improvement and suggestions

Modelling the inorganic nitrogen behaviour in a small Mediterranean forested catchment, Fuirosos (Catalonia)

The aim of this work was to couple a nitrogen (N) sub-model to already existent hydrological lumped (LU4-N) and semi-distributed (LU4-R-N and SD4-R-N) conceptual models, to improve our understanding of the factors and processes controlling nitrogen cycling and losses in Mediterranean catchments. The N model adopted provides a simplified conceptualization of the soil nitrogen cycle considering mineralization, nitrification, immobilization, denitrification, plant uptake, and ammonium adsorption/desorption. It also includes nitrification and denitrification in the shallow perched aquifer. We included a soil moisture threshold for all the considered soil biological processes. The results suggested that all the nitrogen processes were highly influenced by the rain episodes and that soil microbial processes occurred in pulses stimulated by soil moisture increasing after rain. Our simulation highlighted the riparian zone as a possible source of nitrate, especially after the summer drought period, but it can also act as an important sink of nitrate due to denitrification, in particular during the wettest period of the year. The riparian zone was a key element to simulate the catchment nitrate behaviour. The lumped LU4-N model (which does not include the riparian zone) could not be validated, while both the semi-distributed LU4-R-N and SD4-R-N model (which include the riparian zone) gave satisfactory results for the calibration process and acceptable results for the temporal validation process

Contaminants in Unionid Mussels from the Confluence of the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers

Unionid mussels were collected from three mussel beds near the confluence of the Mississippi and Illinois rivers in 2003 to evaluate concentrations of selected elements and organic compounds in three abundant species and to preliminarily investigate the relative contribution of these waterways to observed contaminant burdens. Copper (Cu), selenium (Se), and zinc (Zn) concentrations were higher and lead (Pb) concentrations were lower in Amblema plicata collected downstream of the confluence than in those collected upstream. Mean concentrations of nickel (Ni), total mercury (Hg), methylmercury (MeHg), Pb, and Zn varied by species. Concentrations of cadmium (Cd) decreased with age in A. plicata from two of three sites. Tissue concentrations of some elements, e.g., arsenic (As), Cd, Cu, Pb, Se, and Zn, were similar to or higher than those previously reported for unionid mussels from areas of contaminated sediment. Concentrations of Cd, Cu, and Zn in A. plicata were comparable to those collected from the Mississippi River approximately 450 and 900 km upstream from our study sites (Naimo et al. 1992). Although total Hg concentrations we observed were an order of magnitude lower than in that study, MeHg concentrations were above those associated with reductions in soft tissue mass in a study of Elliptio complanata (Salazar et al. 1995). A number of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners were detected in A. plicata tissues, with 85% of detections occurring in mussels from downstream of the confluence. Concentrations of individual PCB congeners were ???33 ng/g ww and the maximum summed PCB congener concentration was 100.2 ng/g ww. Although few persistent pesticides were detected, -hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) was detected in each of the species collected from below the confluence of the two rivers, and in A. plicata collected above it on both the Mississippi and Illinois rivers, at a maximum concentration of 103.5 ng/g ww. Aldrin, ??-HCH and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) were detected in few of the specimens collected. The findings of this preliminary investigation suggest that unionid mussels from near the confluence of the Mississippi and Illinois rivers may be at risk of negative health effects of elevated exposure to certain environmental contaminants. Studies examining the health and productivity of unionid mussels from this area appear warranted.published or submitted for publicationis peer reviewe

Ultraviolet Spectra of CV Accretion Disks with Non-Steady T(r) Laws

An extensive grid of synthetic mid- and far-ultraviolet spectra for accretion disks in cataclysmic variables has been presented by Wade and Hubeny (1998). In those models, the disk was assumed to be in steady-state, that is T_eff(r) is specified completely by the mass M_WD and radius R_WD of the accreting white dwarf star and the mass transfer rate M_dot which is constant throughout the disk. In these models, T_eff(r) is proportional to r^{-3/4} except as modified by a cutoff term near the white dwarf. Actual disks may vary from the steady-state prescription for T_eff(r), however, e.g. owing to outburst cycles in dwarf novae M_dot not constant with radius) or irradiation (in which case T_eff in the outer disk is raised above T_steady). To show how the spectra of such disks might differ from the steady case, we present a study of the ultraviolet (UV) spectra of models in which power-law temperature profiles T_eff(r) is proportional to r^{-gamma} with gamma < 3/4 are specified. Otherwise, the construction of the models is the same as in the Wade & Hubeny grid, to allow comparison. We discuss both the UV spectral energy distributions and the appearance of the UV line spectra. We also briefly discuss the eclipse light curves of the non-standard models. Comparison of these models with UV observations of novalike variables suggests that better agreement may be possible with such modified T_eff(r) profiles.Comment: 13 pages, 6 figures (one reduced quality), ApJ in pres