Lorentz Violation at One Loop

The proof of one-loop renormalizability of the general Lorentz- and CPT-violating extension of quantum electrodynamics is described. Application of the renormalization-group method is discussed and implications for theory and experiment are considered.Comment: 10 pages, 28 figures, latex, uses sprocl.sty (included), talk presented at the Second Meeting on CPT and Lorentz Symmetry, Bloomington, IN, August 200

A comparison of ultrasonic and mechanical stadiometry

AIM: To compare an ultrasonic height measuring device (Gulliver) with mechanical stadiometry and the classical "book and tape measure" method. METHODS: Blinded duplicate measurements of height were made on each of 14 children by a pair of observers using a stadiometer (H) and Gulliver (G). Height was measured on a further 18 children by parents and an auxologist using Gulliver and the book and tape method (TM), and the results were compared with those obtained with a single stadiometry measurement. Finally, measurement of a rigid metal box was made on 10 occasions by the three methods. RESULTS: In the group of 14 children, the mean difference (range) in height (H minus G) was +2.8 cm (+0.5 to +4.55 cm), with H giving a systematically higher value in 276 of 280 individual measurements. In the group of 18 children, height by H was greater than by G or TM in 47 of 52 individual measurements. The mean (SD) height of the box by H (61.60 (0.07) cm) was greater than by G (60.96 (0.15) cm; p 0.05). G and TM produced three times less reliable estimations of height than H, but with a large difference in cost, and there was evidence of systematic underrecording of height by 0.5 cm with G. CONCLUSIONS: Stadiometry is precise and reproducible, and can detect true changes in height over one month periods in mid-childhood, and should remain the standard way of observing growth. The book and tape method can produce clinically acceptable quarterly estimations of height that can be performed in the home

Chiral Green's Functions in Superconformal Field Theory

By solving the Ward identities in a superconformal field theory we find the unique three-point Green's functions composed of chiral superfields for N = 1,2,3,4 supersymmetry. We show that the N=1 four-point function with R-charge equal to one is uniquely determined by the Ward identities up to the specification of four constants. We discuss why chiral Green's functions above three-points, with total R-charge greater than N, are not uniquely determined.Comment: 32 pages, no figures, LaTeX2e forma

Distribution and diversity of exotic plant species in montane to alpine areas of Kosciuszko National Park

Diversity and distribution of exotic plant taxa in Kosciuszko National Park in south-eastern Australia were reviewed based on 1103 records of exotics from 18 vegetation surveys conducted between 1986 and 2004. 154 taxa from 23 families were recorded in the alpine to montane zones, with eleven taxa in the alpine, 128 taxa in the subalpine and 69 taxa in the montane zone. Nearly all taxa were associated with anthropogenic disturbance with only four taxa exclusively recorded in natural areas. 62 taxa were recorded from subalpine ski resort gardens, and although not recorded as naturalised in the vegetation surveys, their presence in the Park is a concern. Road verges provided habitat for numerous exotics (65 taxa). 44 taxa were recorded in both disturbed and natural locations but most were uncommon (33 taxa < 2% frequency). Nine common taxa Acetosella vulgaris, Achillea millefolium, Agrostis capillaris, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Cerastium spp., Dactylis glomerata, Hypochaeris radicata, Taraxacum officinale and Trifolium repens comprised 68% of records. These species are common to disturbed areas in other areas of Kosciuszko National Park, NSW and worldwide. The forb Acetosella vulgaris was the most ubiquitous species particularly in natural areas where it was recorded at 36% frequency. Based on the data presented here and a recent review of other data sets, there are at least 231 exotic taxa in the Park (including exotics in gardens). The increasing diversity and abundance of exotics is a threat to the natural values of this Park

Geological evaluation and applications of ERTS-1 imagery over Georgia

ERTS-1 70mm and 9 x 9 film negatives are being used by conventional and color enhancement methods as a tool for geologic investigation. Geologic mapping and mineral exploration by conventional methods is very difficult in Georgia. Thick soil cover and heavy vegetation cause outcrops of bed rock to be small, rare and obscure. ERTS imagery, and remote sensing in general have helped delineate: (1) major tectonic boundaries; (2) lithologic contacts; (3) foliation trends; (4) topographic lineaments; and (5) faults. The ERTS-1 MSS imagery yields the greatest amount of geologic information on the Piedomont, Blue Ridge, and Valley and Ridge Provinces of Georgia where topography is strongly controlled by the bedrock geology. ERTS imagery, and general remote sensing techniques, have provided us with a powerful tool to assist geologic research; have significantly increased the mapping efficiency of our field geologists; have shown new lineaments associated with known shear and fault zones; have delineated new structural features; have provided a tool to re-evaluate our tectonic history; have helped to locate potential ground water sources and areas of aquifer recharge; have defined areas of geologic hazards; have shown areas of heavy siltation in major reservoirs; and by its close interval repetition, have aided in monitoring surface mine reclamation activities and the environmental protection of our intricate marshland system

A note on the Painleve analysis of a (2+1) dimensional Camassa-Holm equation

We investigate the Painleve analysis for a (2+1) dimensional Camassa-Holm equation. Our results show that it admits only weak Painleve expansions. This then confirms the limitations of the Painleve test as a test for complete integrability when applied to non-semilinear partial differential equations.Comment: Chaos, Solitons and Fractals (Accepted for publication