Where is full employment?

Unemployment in Australia is now at its lowest in over 30 years. This experience of low rates of unemployment has prompted a number of statements that the Australian economy is at or very close to full employment. However, even though unemployment is low in comparison with the previous 30 years, it is greater than the rates experienced in the 1950s and 1960s, during which the average was slightly below two per cent. Furthermore, the 4.4 per cent rate of unemployment in April 2007 included 84,000 who had been unemployed for more than a year. These doubts about whether the Australian economy is currently at full employment are supported by findings of a body of research reported in this paper. This research suggests that, given current policy settings on labour market regulation, microeconomic reform and welfare support, full employment may occur at a rate of unemployment as low as 2.5 per cent. The estimation of this low rate of unemployment is based on a model of a range of equilibrium rates of unemployment.full employment; range of equilibria; Keynesian economics

Structural and electronic properties of fulleride superconductors

In the present thesis, I discuss some of the current advances in research in the field of the solid state science of fullerenes. The reaction of C60 with alkali metals using both conventional solid state and low temperature solution-based synthesis techniques has led to the production of fulleride salts with interesting structural and superconducting properties. In superconducting A3C60 systems, it has been widely reported that Tc increases monotonically with interfulleride separation. Of particular interest is the family Na2Rb1-xCsxC60 (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) as they display a much steeper rate of change of Tc with interfulleride spacing. Here we discuss the related family of quaternary fullerides, Na2-xKxCsC60 in an attempt to explore the consequences of this trend and produce fulleride salts with elevated Tc's In addition, the monotonic increase in Tc with increasing interfulleride separation has driven attempts towards the synthesis of new superconducting fullerides with very large lattice parameters. A key material among the A3C60 systems is the end member, Cs3C60, which has remained elusive in attempts to synthesise it by traditional solid state techniques due to the thermodynamic instability of this phase caused by the accommodation of the large Cs+ ion (r = 1.67 Å) in the small tetrahedral holes (r = 1.12 Å). Here we report the synthesis of “FCC rich” and "A15 rich" samples of the series, RbxCs3-xC60 (0.0 ≤ x ≤ 0.5) via low temperature synthetic techniques utilising the solvents ammonia and methylamine, respectively. This allowed us to study the effects of both chemical (by partial substitution of Cs+ by the smaller Rb+ cation) and physical pressure upon the electronic and superconducting properties of these materials. For all samples, detailed structural studies have been performed using synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction and magnetic behaviour using SQUID magnetometry techniques

An Ionization Cone in the Dwarf Starburst Galaxy NGC 5253

There are few observational constraints on how the escape of ionizing photons from starburst galaxies depends on galactic parameters. Here, we report on the first major detection of an ionization cone in NGC 5253, a nearby starburst galaxy. This high-excitation feature is identified by mapping the emission-line ratios in the galaxy using [S III] lambda 9069, [S II] lambda 6716, and H_alpha narrow-band images from the Maryland-Magellan Tunable Filter at Las Campanas Observatory. The ionization cone appears optically thin, which is suggestive of the escape of ionizing photons. The cone morphology is narrow with an estimated solid angle covering just 3% of 4pi steradians, and the young, massive clusters of the nuclear starburst can easily generate the radiation required to ionize the cone. Although less likely, we cannot rule out the possibility of an obscured AGN source. An echelle spectrum along the minor axis shows complex kinematics that are consistent with outflow activity. The narrow morphology of the ionization cone supports the scenario that an orientation bias contributes to the difficulty in detecting Lyman continuum emission from starbursts and Lyman break galaxies.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, Accepted to ApJ Letter

A Guide to Balanced Literacy—Pertaining to Reading—for the Intermediate Elementary Teacher

This project is a resource that offers information on how to implement, plan, and assess reading using the instructional strategies of balanced literacy. A review of the literature on all four instructional strategies of balance literacy is included. This guide will aid intermediate elementary teachers in planning effective instruction. The intent of this project is to provide a realistic and useful source for classroom teachers to utilize when planning and assessing reading instruction. Finally in addition to the sample lesson plans are examples of texts used for each lesson

Constraints on the Primordial Power Spectrum from High Resolution Lyman-alpha Forest Spectra and WMAP

The combined analysis of the cosmic microwave background on large scales and Lyman-alpha forest on small scales provides a sufficiently long lever arm to obtain strong constraints on the slope and curvature of the power spectrum of primordial density fluctuations. We present results from the combination of the first year WMAP data and the dark matter power spectrum inferred by Viel et al. (2004) for two different sets of high resolution and high signal-to-noise quasar absorption spectra: the Croft et al. (2002) sample with a median redshift z=2.72 and the LUQAS sample (Kim et al. 2004) with a median redshift z=2.125. The best fit value for the {\it rms} fluctuation amplitude of matter fluctuations is sigma_8 =0.94 +- 0.08 and n=0.99 +- 0.03, if we do not include running of the spectral index. The best fit model with a running spectral index has parameters n=0.959 +- 0.036 and n_run=-0.033 +- 0.025. The data is thus consistent with a scale-free primordial power spectrum with no running of the spectral index. We further include tensor modes and constrain the slow-roll parameters of inflation.Comment: 6 pages, 4 Figures, 1 Table. One figure added and second order extension of the standard slow-roll approximation included. Main results unchanged. MNRAS in pres

Competitiveness in the Food Industry: a CGE Modelling Approach to assess Foreign Direct Investment in Transition Countries

For transition countries, the food industry sector is a key industry in terms of output and employment shares. As a competitive sector that receives substantial foreign direct investments (FDI), it plays an important role as an element in the process of integration in the European and world market. The GLOBE Computable General Equilibrium model is applied to analyse scenarios of alternative development pathways of the food industry sector, taking into account the impact of FDI in the European food industry. The scenario analyses of this study identify that with an enhanced attraction of FDI in the food processing industries in the New Member States (NMS) the integration of the agri-food sectors in the NMS into the Single European Market will become even stronger.Food industry, foreign direct investment, CGE, transition countries, Agribusiness, International Relations/Trade,

Detecting an invisible Higgs boson at Fermilab Tevatron and CERN LHC

In this paper, we study the observability of an invisible Higgs boson at Fermilab Tevatron and CERN LHC through the production channel q \bar{q} \to Z H \to \ell^+\ell^-+ \ptmiss , where \ptmiss is reconstructed from the $\ell^+\ell^-$ with $\ell=e$ or $\mu$. A new strategy is proposed to eliminate the largest irreducible background, namely $q \bar{q} \to Z(\to \ell^+\ell^-) Z(\to \nu \bar\nu)$. This strategy utilizes the precise measurements of $q \bar{q} \to Z(\to \ell^+\ell^-) Z(\to \ell^+\ell^-)$. For $m_H=120$ GeV and with luminosity $30 fb^{-1}$ at Tevatron, a $5\sigma$ observation of the invisible Higgs boson is possible. For $m_H=114 \sim 140$ GeV with only $10 fb^{-1}$ luminosity at LHC, a discovery signal over $5\sigma$ can be achieved.Comment: 4 Revtex pages including 2 figure

Building Energy Efficiency Assessment of Renewable and Cogeneration Energy Efficiency Technologies for the Canadian High Arctic

Arctic communities, challenged by the harsh climate and a lack of local energy resources, are often confronted with finding more sustainable solutions for power and energy. Due to their isolated nature, reductions in energy or fuel use can have important implications for operating costs, security, and energy independence. While high performance buildings have received significant attention in more populated areas, there has been less work done on the opportunities and challenges for these buildings in the Canadian High Arctic. Providing cost-effective logistical support for researchers in the high Arctic, the Polar Continental Shelf Program has operated a field logistics support hub in Resolute, Nunavut since 1958. With increased demand for logistical support and training over the past decade, the Resolute facility has undergone two significant recent expansions. The facility now contains over 7,400 metres squares of living and working space including the Martin Bergmann Complex (provides accommodations for over 237 people), the Operations Centre (warehouse storage, mechanical shops and offices) and the Dr. Roy “Fritz†Koerner Laboratory. With the increased operational requirements, the facility has seen a significant increase in energy use, greenhouse gas emissions and ultimately utility costs. As such, there is a strong desire to reduce energy use and provide for more sustainable facility operations. As the Polar Continental Shelf Program Resolute facility is fairly energy efficient (1.0 GJ/m²) and well maintained, to achieve deep energy savings it is necessary to examine the impact of more innovative strategies, including the integration of cogeneration and heat pump systems. This paper will present an analysis of different energy efficient technologies and strategies for high performance buildings in the Canadian High Arctic. Thus, a comprehensive energy efficiency analysis is performed using the TRNSYS energy simulation tool. First, detailed energy models of the current facilities are developed and calibrated using monitored data. These energy models then form the base for an analysis of innovative energy efficiency strategies including the integration of onsite cogeneration, cold climate heat pumps, and solar integrated technologies. Each strategy is then examined within a techno-economic framework to determine potential utility cost savings, GHG reductions, and simple payback periods. These results provide an important base for the discussion of future high performance buildings in the Canadian High Arctic