On Geometro-thermodynamics of Dilaton Black Holes

In this talk we present the latest results from our ongoing project on geometro-thermodynamics (also known as information geometry of thermodynamics or Ruppeiner geometry) of dilaton BHs in 4D in both Einstein and string frames and a dyonic dilaton BH and at the end we report very briefly results from this approach to the 2D dilaton BHs.Comment: Talk given at 30th Spanish Relativity Meeting (ERE 2007): Relativistic Astrophysics And Cosmology, 10-14 Sep 2007, Puerto de La Cruz, Tenerife, Spain. Typos correcte

Mega infrastructure and strategic risk mitigation: planning, management and outcomes

This paper presents the findings of a multi-case study evaluation of megaproject decision making as it relates to the analysis of strategic risk in the planning and appraisal of mega transport infrastructure projects. The paper reviews literature on risk planning and management from a set of papers commissioned by the OMEGA Centre at University College London (UCL) focusing on the treatment of risk and uncertainty in professions and disciplines where these phenomena have long been at the milieu of their planning and management responses. The findings of the literature review are combined to construct an evaluative framework with specific application to mega transport projects. This framework encompasses aspects of strategic planning, contextual awareness and stakeholder management. It is then applied via a qualitative analysis to aspects of the decision-making processes of 27 megaprojects in nine advanced economies of the world. The key findings of this evaluation suggest that past megaproject decision making is excessively focused on short-term outcomes, with little evidence of the rigorous or systematic analysis of risk and uncertainties that befalls such projects outside of project management and delivery concerns. Drawing from the lessons of past research and practice, the paper concludes by suggesting the essential ingredients of an approach that more explicitly incorporates risks and uncertainties that arise from outside the project portfolio. The author advocates a more ‘open-systems’ approach to megaproject planning and appraisal for infrastructure development that is much more sensitive to changing challenges and uncertainties of new contexts, and how these can affect project outcomes and impacts over the longer term. Whilst the paper draws upon research undertaken between 2005 and 2012, the findings are deemed of continued relevance today in such uncertain times, given the global geopolitical and economic uncertainties and multiple challenges of climate change, pandemics and inequalities which underline the precarious nature of risk management and decision making which prioritises short term project outputs over long term project outcomes and impacts

If You Can't Trust the Farmer, Who Can You Trust? The Effect of Certification Types on Purchases of Organic Produce

An information asymmetry exists in the market for organic produce since consumers cannot determine whether produce is organically or conventionally grown. Various methods may solve this problem including signaling, reputation, and certification. Signaling and reputation may not work well, because signals are noisy, and reputation may be difficult for a producer to establish. Certification of the farm and its growing methods shows the most promise. A survey instrument testing the efficacy of certification is presented along with empirical analysis suggesting that no notable difference existed between independent certification methods, although independent certification had significantly different effects than self-certification.Asymmetric information, Certification, Ordered probit, Organic produce, Agribusiness,

Ruppeiner theory of black hole thermodynamics

The Ruppeiner metric as determined by the Hessian of the Gibbs surface provides a geometric description of thermodynamic systems in equilibrium. An interesting example is a black hole in equilibrium with its own Hawking radiation. In this article, we present results from the Ruppeiner study of various black hole families from different gravity theories e.g. 2D dilaton gravity, BTZ, general relativity and higher-dimensional Einstein-Maxwell gravity.Comment: 10 pages, 1 figure. Talk given by N Pidokrajt at ERE2006 in Palma de Mallorca, Spai

VERITAS Observations of Mgro J1908+06/Hess J1908+063

The unidentified TeV gamma-ray source MGRO J1908+06/HESS J1908+063 was observed with the VERITAS Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Array during October 2007 and May-June 2008. This extended source is located on the galactic plane at a galactic longitude of 40.45 degrees and has a hard TeV spectrum with an index of approximately 2.08. The Very High Energy (VHE) gamma-ray flux was measured by H.E.S.S. out to energies greater than 30 TeV which along with its unidentified nature makes it an interesting hard-spectrum extended source for study. We confirm the detection of VHE gamma-ray emission from this source using VERITAS.Comment: Submitted to Proceedings of "4th Heidelberg International Symposium on High Energy Gamma-Ray Astronomy 2008

Columbia University Marching Song

https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/mmb-vp/3505/thumbnail.jp

Information geometry of asymptotically AdS black holes

We investigate thermodynamic geometries of two families of asymptotically Anti-de Sitter black holes, i.e. the Reissner-Nordstr\"om Anti-de Sitter in four dimensions and the BTZ black hole. It is found that the Anti-de Sitter space renders the geometry nontrivial (c.f. the Reissner-Nordstr\"om black hole in asymptotically flat background). The BTZ black hole's thermodynamic geometry is trivial despite the fact that it is characterized by the (negative) cosmological constant. As a matter of curiosity we compute thermodynamic geometry of these black holes regarding the cosmological constant as a true parameter but no physically significant results can be derived.Comment: Contribution to proceedings of ERE2008, 4 page

EC87-115 Breeding and Management Improve Quality of Switchgrass Pasture

Extension circular 87-115 is about breeding and management improves quality of switchgrass pasture

Tank Tests of Models of Flying Boat Hulls Having Longitudinal Steps

Four models with longitudinal steps on the forebody were developed by modification of a model of a conventional hull and were tested in the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) tank. Models with longitudinal steps were found to have smaller resistance at high speed and greater resistance at low speed than the parent model that had the same afterbody but a conventional V-section forebody. The models with a single longitudinal step had better performance at hump speed and as low high-speed resistance except at very light loads. Spray strips at angles from 0 degrees to 45 degrees to the horizontal were fitted at the longitudinal steps and at the chine on one of the two step models having two longitudinal steps. The resistance and the height of the spray were less with each of the spray strips than without; the most favorable angle was found to lie between 15 degrees and 30 degrees