Sensitivity and cost considerations for the detection and eradication of marine pests in ports

Port surveys are being conducted in Australia, New Zealand and around the world to confirm the presence or absence of particular marine pests. The most critical aspect of these surveys is their sensitivity-the probability that they will correctly identify a species as present if indeed it is present. This is not, however, adequately addressed in the relevant national and international standards. Simple calculations show that the sensitivity of port survey methods is closely related to their encounter rate-the average number of target individuals expected to be detected by the method. The encounter rate (which reflects any difference in relative pest density), divided by the cost of the method, provides one way to compare the cost-effectiveness of different survey methods. The most cost-effective survey method is site- and species-specific but, in general, will involve sampling from the habitat with the highest expected population of target individuals. A case study of Perna viridis in Trinity Inlet, Cairns, demonstrates that plankton trawls processed with gene probes provide the same level of sensitivity for a fraction of the cost associated with the next best available method-snorkel transects in bad visibility (secchi depth=0.72 m). Visibility and the adult/larvae ratio, however, are critical to these arguments. If visibility were good (secchi depth=10 m), the two approaches would be comparable. Diver deployed quadrats were at least three orders of magnitude less cost-effective in this case study. It is very important that environmental managers and scientists perform sensitivity calculations before embarking on port surveys to ensure the highest level of sensitivity is achieved for any given budget.     

Extreme spatial variations in crime density in Baltimore County, MD

A salient characteristic of the geography of crime in the US is the presence of extremely sharp geographic variations. These variations may be significant indicators of local environmental inequalities and may have implications for fear of crime and crime contagion, and may also be indicators of potential or actual neighborhood instability. Such micro-level variations are not generally apparent on small scale maps of urban crime. Previously, micro-level analysis of this gradient phenomenon has been inhibited by the confluence of large volumes of data over large areas, a plethora of possible boundaries that might be used for the purpose of data aggregation, and practical difficulties in the identification of gradients in the context of small units of analysis. The present study attempts to identify steep crime gradients and to characterize the physical and social circumstances under which they occur. Analysis was based on 97,880 geocodable incidents reported in 2000 in Baltimore County, Maryland. Crime densities were calculated for 5324 census blocks that experienced at least one crime incident. A steep gradient for the purpose of this research was the juxtaposition of blocks in the highest and lowest quintiles in terms of crime density. Using residential and commercial land uses as a filter, some 259 blocks satisfied the gradient criterion. Further analysis linked these blocks to their parent block groups for the purpose of identifying their social attributes. In addition, six clusters of blocks were investigated in the field. A typology of adjacencies identified six categories.     

The 2dF Galaxy Redshift Survey: the power spectrum and the matter content of the Universe

The 2dF Galaxy Redshift Survey has now measured in excess of 160 000 galaxy redshifts. This paper presents the power spectrum of the galaxy distribution, calculated using a direct Fourier transform based technique. We argue that, within the k -space region     , the shape of this spectrum should be close to that of the linear density perturbations convolved with the window function of the survey. This window function and its convolving effect on the power spectrum estimate are analysed in detail. By convolving model spectra, we are able to fit the power-spectrum data and provide a measure of the matter content of the Universe. Our results show that models containing baryon oscillations are mildly preferred over featureless power spectra. Analysis of the data yields 68 per cent confidence limits on the total matter density times the Hubble parameter     , and the baryon fraction     , assuming scale-invariant primordial fluctuations.     

A new iterative technique for the deconvolution of real data

A fast new deconvolution technique has been developed which employs a complex iterative scheme in order to deconvolve severely broadened noisy data. A great many computer-simulated experiments have been made using the iterative scheme in order to test its reliability and stability in many different situations. It is found to be extremely reliable in the reclaiming of partially resolved multi-featured spectra and can be used with any type of instrumental profile. Deconvolution of single Gaussian features are achieved in 5% noise conditions, where the instrumental profile is 5 times broader than the spectral features to be reclaimed.     

Thermal response of Saturn's ring particles during and after eclipse

We present infrared (20 μm) observations of Saturn's rings for a solar elevation angle of 10° and phase angle of 6°. Scans across the rings yield information about the cooling of particles during eclipse and the subsequent heating along their orbits. All three rings exhibit significant cooling during eclipse, as well as a 20-μm brightness asymmetry between east and west ansae, the largest asymmetry occuring in the C ring (the brightest ring). The eclipse cooling is a simple and adequate explanation for 20-μm brightness asymmetries between the ansae of Saturn's rings. The relatively large C ring asymmetry is thought to be primarily due to the short travel time of the particles in that ring from eclipse exit to east ansa. We compare the B ring data to the theoretical models of H.H. Aumann and H.H. Kieffer (1973, Astrophys. J.186, 305–311) in order to set constraints on the average particle size and thermal inertia. The rather rapid heating after exit from eclipse points to low-conductivity-particle surfaces, similar to the water frost surfaces of Galilean satellites. If the surface conductivity is indeed low, one cannot determine an upper limit for the particle size through such infrared observations, since only the uppermost millimeters experience a thermal response during eclipse. However, based on these infrared data alone, it is clear that particles of radius equal to a few millimeters or less cannot occupy a significant fraction of the ring surface area, because-regardless of thermal inertia-their thermal response is much faster than observed.     

Statistical analysis of tectonic patterns in areal volcanism: The bunyaruguru volcanic field in West Uganda

A quantitative analysis was made of the spatial arrangement of 149explosion craters in the western rift of Uganda. A variety of methods demonstrate that the spatial pattern of the craters reveals significant structural patterns that have guided volcanism to the surface. It is shown that the east-west elements in the field affected location, and the main rift fault is resolved into two main components. Tentatively, a possible dextral transform fault is identified that affected the relative location of the two main zones of activity. Grouping techniques demonstrate that crater groups obey an exponential rank-size rule and allow a mapping of the craters into energy classes that reveals a concentric pattern of energy in the field. The effect of the topography on energy levels and crater size show that only topography greater than 11,000ft could have prevented all eruptive activity, but the smaller energies and craters are sensitive to height differences on the order of the height of the rift wall, about 1000ft. Total energy in each crater class size is roughly constant, and the field energy could create one or two single craters comparable in size to small central volcanoes.     

A CO-ORDINATE SYSTEM FOR STUDYING INTERACTIONS IN THE PRIMARY CHRISTALLER LATTICE*

The co-ordinate system (x, y) for the triangular Christaller lattice is generalized by the addition of a third, dependent, z-axis. The extended system yields the lattice distances between lattice points, whereas the original system yields only the plane Euclidean distance.     

Issues in sediment toxicity and ecological risk assessment

This paper is based on a facilitated Workshop and Roundtable Discussion of key issues in sediment toxicology and ecological risk assessment (ERA) as applied to sediments that was held at the Conference on Dredged Material Management: Options and Environmental Considerations. The issues addressed included how toxicity is defined and perceived, how it is measured, and how it should be used within the context of ERA to support management decisions. The following conclusions were reached regarding scientific considerations of these issues. Toxicity is a measure of hazard and not a risk per se. Thus, toxicity testing is a means but not the end to understand risks of sediments. Toxicity testing cannot presently be replaced by chemical analyses to define hazard. Toxicity test organisms need to be appropriate to the problem being addressed, and the results put into context relative to both reference and baseline comparisons to understand hazard. Use of toxicity tests in sediment ERAs requires appropriate endpoints and risk hypotheses, considering ecological not just statistical significance, and recognizing that hazard does not equate to risk. Toxicity should be linked to population and community response to support decision-making, assessing possible genotypic adaptations that can influence risk estimates, and addressing uncertainty. Additionally, several key scientific issues were identified to improve future sediment ERAs, including the need to improve basic understanding of ecological mechanisms and processes, recognition of variability in the assessment process, and an improved focus and ability to assess risks to populations and communities.     

Wavelength Shifts in the Solar Photospheric Spectrum

Wavelength shifts converted to velocities between solar lines observed at disc center and laboratory wavelengths of Fei, Feii, Tii, Nii, and Fei lines in the near infrared are plotted as a function of the logarithm of their solar equivalent width in milliångstroms. The need for wavelengths based on the wavelength standards is stressed. A comparison of photographic Fei solar wavelength is shown to agree, on the average, with Fourier Transform Spectrometer solar wavelengths within less than 0.5 milliångstroms. Using Balthasar's limb effect tables we convert the disc center velocities to limb velocities and find, though the scatter is large, that there is little evidence for a super-gravitational red shift.