4,196 research outputs found
Farmers' management of rice varietal diversity in the mid-hills of Nepal: implications for on-farm conservation and crop improvement
Season-long monitoring of on-farm rice (Oryza sativa, L.) plots in Nepal explored farmers' decision-making process on the deployment of varieties to agroecosystems, application of production inputs to varieties, agronomic practices and relationship between economic return and area planted per variety. Farmers deploy varieties [landraces (LRs) and modern varieties (MVs)] to agroecosystems based on their understanding of characteristics of varieties and agroecosystems, and the interaction between them. In marginal growing conditions, LRs can compete with MVs. Within an agroecosystem, economic return and area planted to varieties have positive relationship, but this is not so between agroecosystems. LRs are very diverse on agronomic and economic traits; therefore, they cannot be rejected a priori as inferior materials without proper evaluation. LRs have to be evaluated for useful traits and utilized in breeding programmes to generate farmer-preferred materials for marginal environments and for their conservation on-farm
IRAC Excess in Distant Star-Forming Galaxies: Tentative Evidence for the 3.3m Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Feature ?
We present evidence for the existence of an IRAC excess in the spectral
energy distribution (SED) of 5 galaxies at 0.6<z<0.9 and 1 galaxy at z=1.7.
These 6 galaxies, located in the Great Observatories Origins Deep Survey field
(GOODS-N), are star forming since they present strong 6.2, 7.7, and 11.3 um
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) lines in their Spitzer IRS mid-infrared
spectra. We use a library of templates computed with PEGASE.2 to fit their
multiwavelength photometry and derive their stellar continuum. Subtraction of
the stellar continuum enables us to detect in 5 galaxies a significant excess
in the IRAC band pass where the 3.3 um PAH is expected. We then assess if the
physical origin of the IRAC excess is due to an obscured active galactic
nucleus (AGN) or warm dust emission. For one galaxy evidence of an obscured AGN
is found, while the remaining four do not exhibit any significant AGN activity.
Possible contamination by warm dust continuum of unknown origin as found in the
Galactic diffuse emission is discussed. The properties of such a continuum
would have to be different from the local Universe to explain the measured IRAC
excess, but we cannot definitively rule out this possibility until its origin
is understood. Assuming that the IRAC excess is dominated by the 3.3 um PAH
feature, we find good agreement with the observed 11.3 um PAH line flux arising
from the same C-H bending and stretching modes, consistent with model
expectations. Finally, the IRAC excess appears to be correlated with the
star-formation rate in the galaxies. Hence it could provide a powerful
diagnostic for measuring dusty star formation in z>3 galaxies once the
mid-infrared spectroscopic capabilities of the James Webb Space Telescope
become available.Comment: 25 pages, 4 figures, accepted by Ap
Chandra High Resolution X-ray Spectroscopy of AM Her
We present the results of high resolution spectroscopy of the prototype polar
AM Herculis observed with Chandra High Energy Transmission Grating. The X-ray
spectrum contains hydrogen-like and helium-like lines of Fe, S, Si, Mg, Ne and
O with several Fe L-shell emission lines. The forbidden lines in the spectrum
are generally weak whereas the hydrogen-like lines are stronger suggesting that
emission from a multi-temperature, collisionally ionized plasma dominates. The
helium-like line flux ratios yield a plasma temperature of 2 MK and a plasma
density 1 - 9 x10^12 cm^-3, whereas the line flux ratio of Fe XXVI to Fe XXV
gives an ionization temperature of 12.4 +1.1 -1.4 keV. We present the
differential emission measure distribution of AM Her whose shape is consistent
with the volume emission measure obtained by multi-temperature APEC model. The
multi-temperature plasma model fit to the average X-ray spectrum indicates the
mass of the white dwarf to be ~1.15 M_sun. From phase resolved spectroscopy, we
find the line centers of Mg XII, S XVI, resonance line of Fe XXV, and Fe XXVI
emission modulated by a few hundred to 1000 km/s from the theoretically
expected values indicating bulk motion of ionized matter in the accretion
column of AM Her. The observed velocities of Fe XXVI ions are close to the
expected shock velocity for a 0.6 M_sun white dwarf. The observed velocity
modulation is consistent with that expected from a single pole accreting binary
system.Comment: 6 figures, AASTEX style, accepted for publication in Ap
dc readout experiment at the Caltech 40m prototype interferometer
The Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO) operates a 40m prototype interferometer on the Caltech campus. The primary mission of the prototype is to serve as an experimental testbed for upgrades to the LIGO interferometers and for gaining experience with advanced interferometric techniques, including detuned resonant sideband extraction (i.e. signal recycling) and dc readout (optical homodyne detection). The former technique will be employed in Advanced LIGO, and the latter in both Enhanced and Advanced LIGO. Using dc readout for gravitational wave signal extraction has several technical advantages, including reduced laser and oscillator noise couplings as well as reduced shot noise, when compared to the traditional rf readout technique (optical heterodyne detection) currently in use in large-scale ground-based interferometric gravitational wave detectors. The Caltech 40m laboratory is currently prototyping a dc readout system for a fully suspended interferometric gravitational wave detector. The system includes an optical filter cavity at the interferometer's output port, and the associated controls and optics to ensure that the filter cavity is optimally coupled to the interferometer. We present the results of measurements to characterize noise couplings in rf and dc readout using this system
Simulation of Intelligent Fire Detection and Alarm System for a W d p .
Fire is one of the major hazards in warships. A warship being avery complex structure, with sophisticated weapons, machinery, fueland ammunition is always at risk of fire. Restrictions on movement of ship's personnel and equipment requires automation in fire detectionand control systems. This paper describes the limitations of conventional fire detection systems, followed by the features of modern fire detection and alarnr (the so-called intelligent) systems and thetypes of fire detectors used in fire detection systems. The experimentalset-up used for simulating a simple system having 24 sensors connecteato the micro computer via digital input card is explained in detail withthe limitations of the experimental set-up and improvements that canbe made by incorporating serial communication in a loop, using fibre optics data links. and intelligent loop/interface units
Seed systems and crop genetic diversity in agroecosystems
Poster presented at the First Diversitas Open Science Conference. Oaxaca (Mexico), 9-12 Nov 200
Adoption of AI-empowered industrial robots in auto component manufacturing companies
The usage of AI-empowered Industrial Robots (InRos) is booming in the Auto Component Manufacturing Companies (ACMCs) across the globe. Based on a model leveraging the Technology, Organisation, and Environment (TOE) framework, this work examines the adoption of InRos in ACMCs in the context of an emerging economy. This research scrutinises the adoption intention and potential use of InRos in ACMCs through a survey of 460 senior managers and owners of ACMCs in India. The findings indicate that perceived compatibility, external pressure, perceived benefits and support from vendors are critical predictors of InRos adoption intention. Interestingly, the study also reveals that IT infrastructure and government support do not influence InRos adoption intention. Furthermore, the analysis suggests that perceived cost issues negatively moderate the relationship between the adoption intention and potential use of InRos in ACMCs. This study offers a theoretical contribution as it deploys the traditional TOE framework and discovers counter-intuitively that IT resources are not a major driver of technology adoption: as such, it suggests that a more comprehensive framework than the traditional RBV should be adopted. The work provides managerial recommendations for managers, shedding light on the antecedents of adoption intention and potential use of InRos at ACMCs in a country where the adoption of InRos is in a nascent stage
Modeling Bangladesh's gross domestic product using regression approach
This study finds the factors that affect Bangladesh’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) through regression approach. Stepwise and Ridge regression techniques have been applied to build the suitable regression model. Model adequacy also has been checked and multicollinearity problem is addressed for a plausible model using appropriate remedial measures for each of the model one after another that yields stepwise regression. The multicollinearity problem has also been tried to combat by ridge regression. Finally, the model which is adequate and free from multicollinearity problem after applying the ridge regression has been considered as the credible model for predicting the GDP of Bangladesh. The final model shows that the factors population, imports of goods and services, agriculture value added, manufacturing value added and labor force are positively affecting the GDP of Bangladesh
Lithographically and electrically controlled strain effects on anisotropic magnetoresistance in (Ga,Mn)As
It has been demonstrated that magnetocrystalline anisotropies in (Ga,Mn)As
are sensitive to lattice strains as small as 10^-4 and that strain can be
controlled by lattice parameter engineering during growth, through post growth
lithography, and electrically by bonding the (Ga,Mn)As sample to a
piezoelectric transducer. In this work we show that analogous effects are
observed in crystalline components of the anisotropic magnetoresistance (AMR).
Lithographically or electrically induced strain variations can produce
crystalline AMR components which are larger than the crystalline AMR and a
significant fraction of the total AMR of the unprocessed (Ga,Mn)As material. In
these experiments we also observe new higher order terms in the
phenomenological AMR expressions and find that strain variation effects can
play important role in the micromagnetic and magnetotransport characteristics
of (Ga,Mn)As lateral nanoconstrictions.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figures, references fixe
- …