GENERAL EQUILIBRIUM ECOSYSTEM MODELING WITH ALTERNATIVE PREFERENCE SPECIFICATIONS

This paper reconciles two sets of literature with regard to the interactive ecological and economic impacts of invasive grass species and cattle stocking. We model cattle as optimal foragers, satiation foragers, and proportional foragers in order to understand the impact that each assumption imposes on predicted economic and ecological outcomes. Through this model sensitivity (as opposed to parameter sensitivity) analysis, we are able to identify three main drivers of plant invasions: exogenous forces such as climate change or nitrogen deposition, poor land management decisions, and a misalignment of incentives between cattle and ranchers even when ranchers behave optimally.     

Hydrophobic/hydrophilic solvation: inferences from Monte Carlo simulations and experiments

In this study Monte Carlo simulations are used to determine the solvation properties of model hydrophobic (xenon and hard sphere) and hydrophilic (dimethyl ether) solutes in SPC/E water. Various contributions to the experimental solvation entropy, including the solvent reorganization entropy, have been determined. The main conclusion drawn, which is in accord with solubility data, is that poor solubility correlates with poor solute-water interaction. At room temperature, energy dominates the aqueous solubility of both hydrophobic and hydrophilic solutes, rather than entropy. However, at higher temperatures the solubility can pass through a minimum, and then entropy becomes dominant. Another interesting finding is the presence of larger than expected cavities in water. Two different simulation results support this finding. This unexpected hollow structure in water explains why a hard sphere solute is more soluble in water than in a comparable hard sphere or Lennard-Jones solvent. Hydrogen bonding causes water to aggregate into clusters that produce a few large cavities rather than many smaller cavities. The propensity for clustering also explains why water gives the illusion of being a low density liquid. Sufficient theoretical apparatus is developed to connect theoretical solvation properties to those measured by simulation and experiment. Finally, based on gas solubility, an intuitive hydrophobic/hydrophilic scale is developed.     

Measurement of the Raman polarizability anisotropy for the v = 1 pure rotational Raman transition in H 2 by rotational Raman spectroscopy

A combination of stimulated Raman pumping and rotational Raman spectroscopy is used to accomplish the first measurement of the polarizability anisotropy γ_11,13 (355 nm) for the S₁₁ (1) transition in molecular hydrogen H₂. Saturation of the Q₀₁(1) transition connecting the |X¹ Σ⁺ _g, v = 0, J = 1 > state to the |X¹ Σ⁺ _g, v = 1, J = 1 > state in H₂ by stimulated Raman pumping is the critical element in this experiment. The observed intensities of the rotational Raman lines for these states allow an estimate of γ_11,13 (355 nm) as 0.358 ± 0.004 ų. A comparison of this value to that obtained from fundamental ab initio calculations in H₂ also is possible for the first time.     

Spectral Analysis of Social Networks to Identify Periodicity

Two key problems in the study of longitudinal networks are determining when to chunk continuous time data into discrete time periods for network analysis and identifying periodicity in the data. In addition, statistical process control applied to longitudinal social network measures can be biased by the effects of relational dependence and periodicity in the data. Thus, the detection of change is often obscured by random noise. Fourier analysis is used to determine statistically significant periodic frequencies in longitudinal network data. Two approaches are then offered: using significant periods as a basis to chunk data for longitudinal network analysis or using the significant periods to filter the longitudinal data. E-mail communication collected at the United States Military Academy is examined.     

Infrared spectra of the Kr—CO and Xe—CO van der Waals complexes

The infrared spectra of the weakly bound complexes Kr—CO and Xe—CO have been studied in the region of the CO stretching vibration (4.7 μm) using a high-resolution tuneable diode laser probe. The complexes were observed in a long path (200 m) low temperature (76 K) gas cell (Kr—CO) and in a pulsed supersonic jet expansion (Kr—CO and Xe—CO). Previous long path cell measurements on these complexes at lower resolution analysed only the K = 0 and 1 stacks of rotational levels in the ground intermolecular vibrational state. The new data extend up to K = 3 (Xe—CO) or 4 (Kr—CO), and also include K = 0 and 1 stacks in the excited bending state, ν₂ = 1. The bending frequencies for Kr—CO and Xe—CO (in the ν_co = 1 upper state) were determined to be 13.156cm_?1 and 13.794cm^?1, respectively. Detailed molecular parameters were determined to describe the rotational energy levels of each complex using a simple empirical Hamiltonian. These results enable parameters to be compared for the entire series of rare gas—carbon monoxide complexes, from He—CO to Xe—CO. Also they will guide the future development and evaluation of accurate intermolecular potential energy surfaces for Kr—CO and Xe—CO.     

The enthalpy of formation of 2II CH

The standard enthalpy of formation, δ_fH^o, of² II CH has been determined at converged levels of ab initio electronic structure theory, including high order coupled cluster and full configuration interaction benchmarks. The atomic Gaussian basis sets employed include the (aug)-cc-p(C)VXZ family with X = 3, 4, 5 and 6. Extrapolations to the complete one-particle basis set and the full configuration interaction limits, where appropriate, have been performed to reduce remaining computational errors. Additional improvements in the enthalpy of formation of ²II CH were achieved by appending the valence-only treatment with core-valence correlation, relativistic effects including spin-orbit correlation, and the diagonal Born-Oppenheimer correction. The recommended values for δfH^o ₀ and δA_f H _o ²⁹⁸ of ²II CH are 592.48^+0.47 _?0.56 kJ mol_?1 and 595.93 ^+0.47 _?0.56 kJ mol_?1, respectively.     

A METHOD FOR PREDICTING HARBOR SEAL (PHOCA VITULINA) HAULOUT AND MONITORING LONG‐TERM POPULATION TRENDS WITHOUT TELEMETRY

Monitoring population trends in harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) generally involves two steps: (i) a census obtained from aerial surveys of haul‐out sites, and (ii) an upward correction based on the proportion of seals hauled out as estimated from a sample of telemetry‐tagged seals. Here we present a mathematical method for obtaining site‐specific correction factors without telemetry. The method also determines site‐specific environmental factors associated with haulout and provides algebraic equations that predict diurnal haul‐out numbers and correction factors as functions of these variables. We applied the method at a haul‐out site on Protection Island, Washington, USA. The haul‐out model and correction factor model were functions of tide height, current velocity, and time of day, and the haul‐out model explained 46% of the observed variability in diurnal haul‐out dynamics. Although the particular models are site‐specific, the general model and methods are portable. A suite of such models for haul‐out sites of a regional stock would allow managers to monitor long‐term population trends without telemetry.     

Making Chemical Measurements Using the Lab Works Interface and a Handheld Graphing Calculator

The LabWorks learning system is a computer-controlled data acquisition interface that allows students to quickly obtain and analyze chemistry data. This article describes how the LabWorks interface can be controlled with an HP 48G hand-held calculator rather than a personal computer. The calculator provides users with the same automated data acquisition as if a computer were controlling the interface, but it costs less and requires less maintenance and laboratory bench space. The types of measurements made by the system are discussed and a sample experiment described. Student data and comments are also presented.