Environmental characteristics of black crappie (\u3ci\u3ePomoxis nigromaculatus\u3c/i\u3e) nesting sites in two South Dakota waters

A biotelemetry study was undertaken during spring 1995 to identify black crappie (Pomoxis nigromaculatus) nesting sites in two South Dakota water bodies. Individually coded ultrasonic transmitters were implanted into the body cavity of 15 adult male black crappie in each water body prior to spawning. Available habitat characteristics were recorded at 75 randomly selected sites within each water body, and habitat characteristics at nesting sites were recorded for each male black crappie believed to be nesting. Of the habitat characteristics analyzed, only substrate firmness did not differ (P=0.79) between water bodies. In Richmond Lake, black crappie selected nesting sites with live cattails (Typha spp.) that were protected from prevailing south winds. In Brant Lake, black crappie selected nest sites with vegetation (usually woody debris) and silty substrate that had warmer water and were protected from wind and waves. It appeared that black crappie nested in the most protected areas available

Gold coast domestic water end use study

This paper presents the preliminary findings of the Gold Coast Watersaver End Use Project which was conducted in winter 2008, for 151 homes on the Gold Coast, Australia. Specifically, the paper includes a break down of water end use consumption data, compares this with results of previous national studies, and explores the degree of influence of household socioeconomic regions on end use. Two highly variable water end use distributions, namely shower and irrigation, were examined in detail, clustered and are discussed herein. The paper concludes with a brief description of the greater ongoing research program

Uncertainties in field-line tracing in the magnetosphere. <br>Part II: the complete internal geomagnetic field

International audienceThe discussion in the preceding paper is restricted to the uncertainties in magnetic-field-line tracing in the magnetosphere resulting from published standard errors in the spherical harmonic coefficients that define the axisymmetric part of the internal geomagnetic field (i.e. gn0 ± ?gn0). Numerical estimates of these uncertainties based on an analytic equation for axisymmetric field lines are in excellent agreement with independent computational estimates based on stepwise numerical integration along magnetic field lines. This comparison confirms the accuracy of the computer program used in the present paper to estimate the uncertainties in magnetic-field-line tracing that arise from published standard errors in the full set of spherical harmonic coefficients, which define the complete (non-axisymmetric) internal geomagnetic field (i.e. gnm ± ?gnm and hnm ± ?hnm). An algorithm is formulated that greatly reduces the computing time required to estimate these uncertainties in magnetic-field-line tracing. The validity of this algorithm is checked numerically for both the axisymmetric part of the internal geomagnetic field in the general case (1 ? n ? 10) and the complete internal geomagnetic field in a restrictive case (0 ? m ? n, 1 ? n ? 3). On this basis it is assumed that the algorithm can be used with confidence in those cases for which the computing time would otherwise be prohibitively long. For the complete internal geomagnetic field, the maximum characteristic uncertainty in the geocentric distance of a field line that crosses the geomagnetic equator at a nominal dipolar distance of 2 RE is typically 100 km. The corresponding characteristic uncertainty for a field line that crosses the geomagnetic equator at a nominal dipolar distance of 6 RE is typically 500 km. Histograms and scatter plots showing the characteristic uncertainties associated with magnetic-field-line tracing in the magnetosphere are presented for a range of illustrative examples. Finally, estimates are given for the maximum uncertainties in the locations of the conjugate points of selected geophysical observatories. Numerical estimates of the uncertainties in magnetic-field-line tracing in the magnetosphere, including the associated uncertainties in the locations of the conjugate points of geophysical observatories, should be regarded as "first approximations'' in the sense that these estimates are only as accurate as the published standard errors in the full set of spherical harmonic coefficients. As in the preceding paper, however, all computational techniques developed in this paper can be used to derive more realistic estimates of the uncertainties in magnetic-field-line tracing in the magnetosphere, following further progress in the determination of more accurate standard errors in the spherical harmonic coefficients

Free Flying Magnetometers as a Demonstration of Micro-spacecraft Technologies

Four Free Flying Magnetometers (FFMs) flew on the Enstrophy sounding rocket launched on February 10, 1999 from Poker Flats Research Range. Each of these FFMs is a highly integrated sensorcraft , containing their own data, attitude determination, telecom, and power systems in addition to a small 3-axis magnetometer. All of this was fit into a package a little bigger than a hockey puck and weighed less than 250 grams. The FFM technology development task was funded by NASA/JPL

Careif Position Statement on Migration and Mental Health

People have moved from one place to another within the same country or across national borders for millennia. The reasons for such movements have varied, as does the duration for which people migrate. With globalisation and global connections across countries, migration has increased. The process of migration and its impact on the mental health of individuals has been and will remain heterogeneous. The responses of migrants to the process vary, depending upon a number of factors. Individuals may migrate individually, with their families or in groups. They may move to avoid political or religious persecution and seek political asylum in another country (forced migration) or migrate for personal, employment, economic or educational reasons (voluntary migration). Although these two categorisations are often a little more complex than this. Not all migrants will feel negatively affected by migration. People may migrate on a seasonal, recurrent, permanent or temporary basis. It may be within or across generations. Many migrants will never access mental health services, whilst others may use these in varying ways and with diverse requirements or presentations. The experiences and requirements of voluntary and involuntary migrants may differ. Mental health Services may need to ensure that they are accessible and appropriate to all members of society including those who have migrated. This paper makes some suggestions in relation to this

Web-based knowledge management system: Linking smart metering to the future of urban water planning

The planning of cities and the planning of their water supplies are intertwined. This paper explores the potential role of smart metering for the future of water planning and management in Australian cities. Smart meters for electricity are being rolled out nationally, and while smart meters for water are not yet being implemented at such a scale, they have the capacity to deliver increasing data to planners and residents about patterns of water use. To translate these data to useful information, a Web-Based Knowledge Management System (WBKMS) is proposed that integrates smart metering, end-use water consumption data, wireless communication networks and information management systems in order to provide real-time information on how, when and where water is being consumed for the consumer and utility. Summary data from the system will also be of interest to architects, developers and planners, seeking to understand water consumption patterns across stratified urban samples. An overview of the challenges for developing the WBKMS and an associated research agenda to address current knowledge gaps concludes the paper. © 2010 Planning Institute Australia

Friction force on slow charges moving over supported graphene

We provide a theoretical model that describes the dielectric coupling of a 2D layer of graphene, represented by a polarization function in the Random Phase Approximation, and a semi-infinite 3D substrate, represented by a surface response function in a non-local formulation. We concentrate on the role of the dynamic response of the substrate for low-frequency excitations of the combined graphene-substrate system, which give rise to the stopping force on slowly moving charges above graphene. A comparison of the dielectric loss function with experimental HREELS data for graphene on a SiC substrate is used to estimate the damping rate in graphene and to reveal the importance of phonon excitations in an insulating substrate. A signature of the hybridization between graphene's pi plasmon and the substrate's phonon is found in the stopping force. A friction coefficient that is calculated for slow charges moving above graphene on a metallic substrate shows an interplay between the low-energy single-particle excitations in both systems.Comment: 13 pages, 5 figures, submitted to Nanotechnology for a special issue related to the NGC 2009 conference (http://asdn.net/ngc2009/index.shtml

Enhanced abundances in three large-diameter mixed-morphology supernova remnants

We present an X-ray study of three mixed-morphology supernova remnants (SNRs), HB 21, CTB 1 and HB 3, using archival ASCA and ROSAT data. These data are complemented by archival Chandra X-ray Observatory data for CTB 1 and XMM-Newton X-ray Observatory data for HB 3. The spectra from HB 21 and HB 3 are well-described with a single-temperature thermal plasma in ionization equilibrium, while a two-temperature thermal plasma is found in CTB 1. We found enhanced abundances in all three SNRs. The elemental abundance of Mg is clearly enhanced in CTB 1, while HB 21 has enhanced abundances of Si and S. The situation is not so clear in HB 3 -- the plasma in this SNR either has significantly enhanced abundances of O, Ne and Mg, or it has marginally enhanced abundances of Mg and under-abundant Fe. We discuss the plausibility of mixed-morphology SNR models for the three SNRs and the presence of enhanced abundances. We revise a list of MM SNRs and their properties, compare the three SNRs studied here with other members of this class, and discuss the presence of enhanced elemental abundances in MM SNRs. We also report the ASCA detection of a compact source in the southern part of HB 3. The source spectrum is consistent with a power law with a photon index of ~2.7, and an unabsorbed X-ray flux of ~10^{-12} erg/cm^2/s in the 0.5--10.0 keV band. The column density towards this source differs from that towards the SNR, and it is therefore unlikely they are related.Comment: 26 pages, 15 figures, revised version (minor changes), accepted for publication in ApJ (10 Aug 2006

Far-UV FUSE spectroscopy of the OVI resonance doublet in Sand2 (WO)

We present Far-Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) spectroscopy of Sand 2, a LMC WO-type Wolf-Rayet star, revealing the OVI resonance P Cygni doublet at 1032-38A. These data are combined with HST/FOS ultraviolet and Mt Stromlo 2.3m optical spectroscopy, and analysed using a spherical, non-LTE, line-blanketed code. Our study reveals exceptional stellar parameters: T*=150,000K, v_inf=4100 km/s, log (L/Lo)=5.3, and Mdot=10^-5 Mo/yr if we adopt a volume filling factor of 10%. Elemental abundances of C/He=0.7+-0.2 and O/He=0.15(-0.05+0.10) by number qualitatively support previous recombination line studies. We confirm that Sand 2 is more chemically enriched in carbon than LMC WC stars, and is expected to undergo a supernova explosion within the next 50,000 yr.Comment: 17 pages, 4 figures, AASTeX preprint format. This paper will appear in a special issue of ApJ Letters devoted to the first scientific results from the FUSE missio