Distances to Local Group Galaxies

Distances to galaxies in the Local Group are reviewed. In particular, the distance to the Large Magellanic Cloud is found to be $(m-M)_0 = 18.52 \pm 0.10$, corresponding to $50,600 \pm 2,400$ pc. The importance of M31 as an analog of the galaxies observed at greater distances is stressed, while the variety of star formation and chemical enrichment histories displayed by Local Group galaxies allows critical evaluation of the calibrations of the various distance indicators in a variety of environments.Comment: 15 pages, no figures, to appear in "Stellar Candles for the Extragalactic Distance Scale", Lecture Notes in Physics (Springer), ed. D. Alloin and W. Giere

Risk Regulation and the Faces of Uncertainty

Dr. Walker addresses the difficulty of regulators\u27 working with potentially inaccurate information and clarifies related aspects of decision making by presenting a taxonomy for the kinds of uncertainty inherent in necessarily incomplete data

Solubility of non-polar gases in electrolyte solutions

Solubility theory describes the effects of both concentration and temperature on solute activity coefficients. It predicts the salting-out effect and the decrease in solubility of non-polar gases with increased electrolyte concentration, and can be used to calculate heats of solution, entropies, and partial molal volumes of dissolved gase

Real-time flutter identification

The techniques and a FORTRAN 77 MOdal Parameter IDentification (MOPID) computer program developed for identification of the frequencies and damping ratios of multiple flutter modes in real time are documented. Physically meaningful model parameterization was combined with state of the art recursive identification techniques and applied to the problem of real time flutter mode monitoring. The performance of the algorithm in terms of convergence speed and parameter estimation error is demonstrated for several simulated data cases, and the results of actual flight data analysis from two different vehicles are presented. It is indicated that the algorithm is capable of real time monitoring of aircraft flutter characteristics with a high degree of reliability

Affine Hecke algebras of type D and generalisations of quiver Hecke algebras

We define and study cyclotomic quotients of affine Hecke algebras of type D. We establish an isomorphism between (direct sums of blocks of) these cyclotomic quotients and a generalisation of cyclotomic quiver Hecke algebras which are a family of Z-graded algebras closely related to algebras introduced by Shan, Varagnolo and Vasserot. To achieve this, we first complete the study of cyclotomic quotients of affine Hecke algebras of type B by considering the situation when a deformation parameter p squares to 1. We then relate the two generalisations of quiver Hecke algebras showing that the one for type D can be seen as fixed point subalgebras of their analogues for type B, and we carefully study how far this relation remains valid for cyclotomic quotients. This allows us to obtain the desired isomorphism. This isomorphism completes the family of isomorphisms relating affine Hecke algebras of classical types to (generalisations of) quiver Hecke algebras, originating in the famous result of Brundan and Kleshchev for the type A.Comment: 26 page

Laboratory studies of interplanetary dust

Interplanetary dust particles (IDPs) are a form of primitive extraterrestrial material. In spite of the formidable experimental problems in working with particles that are too small to be seen with the naked eye, it has proven possible to obtain considerable information concerning their properties and possible origins. Dust particles collected in the stratosphere were reviewed. These particles are the best available samples of interplanetary dust and were studied using a variety of analytical techniques

Affine Hecke algebras and generalisations of quiver Hecke algebras for type B

We define and study cyclotomic quotients of affine Hecke algebras of type B. We establish an isomorphism between direct sums of blocks of these algebras and a generalisation, for type B, of cyclotomic quiver Hecke algebras which are a family of graded algebras closely related to algebras introduced by Varagnolo and Vasserot. Inspired by the work of Brundan and Kleshchev we first give a family of isomorphisms for the corresponding result in type A which includes their original isomorphism. We then select a particular isomorphism from this family and use it to prove our result.Comment: 37 page

Coloured mulch as a weed control technology and yield booster for summer savory

An investigation into the effect of coloured mulch technology as a technique to control weeds when growing the essential oil plant, summer savory (Satureja hortensis) was made. As well as weed control, the effects on the production of crop biomass and essential oil content and quality were also considered. The mulch treatments produced significantly more biomass than either of the control treatments (which used no mulch either with or without herbicide). The white mulch treatment produced the greatest biomass, closely followed by the red mulch treatment. The blue mulch treatment was third in ranking, although not significantly greater than the black mulch. Estimates of the quantity of essential oil produced by each treatment followed a similar trend to that shown by biomass production