Continuing Education Activities of the University of British Columbia, 1978-1979.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

British Columbia Univ., Vancouver. Center for Continuing Education.

Continuing education opportunities offered by the University of British Columbia (UBC) are summarized in this third comprehensive annual report for the year September 1978 to August 1979. The university administers a decentralized program encompassing several university offices, community resource centers, and individual faculty members. Evening,…

James Gregory, the University observatory and the early acquisition of scientific instruments at the University of St Andrews

PubMed Central

Rawson, Helen C.

2015-01-01

James Gregory, inventor of the reflecting telescope and Fellow of the Royal Society, was the first Regius Professor of Mathematics of the University of St Andrews, 1668–74. He attempted to establish in St Andrews what would, if completed, have been the first purpose-built observatory in the British Isles. He travelled to London in 1673 to purchase instruments for equipping the observatory and improving the teaching and study of natural philosophy and mathematics in the university, seeking the advice of John Flamsteed, later the first Astronomer Royal. This paper considers the observatory initiative and the early acquisition of instruments at the University of St Andrews, with reference to Gregory's correspondence, inventories made ca. 1699–ca. 1718 and extant instruments themselves, some of which predate Gregory's time. It examines the structure and fate of the university observatory, the legacy of Gregory's teaching and endeavours, and the meridian line laid down in 1748 in the University Library.

Earth Institute at Columbia University ADVANCE Program: Addressing Needs for Women in Earth and Environmental Sciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bell, R. E.; Cane, M.; Mutter, J.; Miller, R.; Pfirman, S.; Laird, J.

2004-12-01

The Earth Institute has received a major NSF ADVANCE grant targeted at increasing the participation and advancement of women scientists and engineers in the Academy through institutional transformation. The Earth Institute at Columbia University includes 9 research institutes including Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Center for Environmental Research and Conservation (CERC), Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN), International Research Institute (IRI) for Climate Prediction, Earth Engineering Center, NASA-Goddard Institute for Space Studies, Center for Risks and Hazards, Center for Globalization and Sustainable Development, and Center for Global Health and Economic Development and six academic departments including Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology (E3B, School of Arts and Sciences), Earth and Environmental Engineering (DEEE, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences), Department of Environmental Health (School of Public Health), Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences (DEES, School of Arts and Sciences), Department of International and Public Affairs (School of International and Policy Affairs), and Barnard College Department of Environmental Science. The Earth Institute at Columbia University's ADVANCE program is based both on a study of the status of women at Columbia and research on the progression of women in science elsewhere. The five major targets of the Columbia ADVANCE program are to (1) change the demographics of the faculty through intelligent hiring practices, (2) provide support to women scientists through difficult life transitions including elder care and adoption or birth of a child, (3) enhance mentoring and networking opportunities, (4) implement transparent promotion procedures and policies, and (5) conduct an institutional self study. The Earth Institute ADVANCE program is unique in that it addresses issues that tend to manifest themselves in the earth and environmental fields, such as extended

The Architectural and Instrumental Heritage of the Strasbourg University Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davoigneau, Jean

When, in 1872, Alsace was handed over to Germany, Empperor Wilhelm I decided to make Strasbourg the showcase of his empire, and in particular to build a prestigious university and an observatory. The construction of the observatory was entrusted to the astronomer August Winnecke (1835-1897), former director of the Pulkovo observatory, and to the Baumeister Hermann Eggert. Begun in 1876, the work was completed in 1880. The astronomical instruments, ordered from German makers, were installed during the winter of 1880-1881, and the observatory was inaugurated on September 22, 1881 at the general assembly of the Astronomische Gesellschaft, the international association of astronomers, whose secretary was Winnecke. Marking the south-eastern extremity of the ‘imperial axis’, the architecture of the university observatory harmonizes perfectly with the new German city built on the former French parade grounds. The astronomical heritage operation conducted at the beginning of the present decade provides a richly docurnented and illustrated inventory of both the architecture and instruments of this institution. This work has also highlighted the unique quality of the collection of instruments, befitting the long and complex history of this institution.

Conducting Research from Small University Observatories: Investigating Exoplanet Candidates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moreland, Kimberly D.

2018-01-01

Kepler has to date discovered 4,496 exoplanet candidates, but only half are confirmed, and only a handful are thought to be Earth sized and in the habitable zone. Planet verification often involves extensive follow-up observations, which are both time and resource intensive. The data set collected by Kepler is massive and will be studied for decades. University/small observatories, such as the one at Texas State University, are in a good position to assist with the exoplanet candidate verification process. By preforming extended monitoring campaigns, which are otherwise cost ineffective for larger observatories, students gain valuable research experience and contribute valuable data and results to the scientific community.

Exploring the Digital Universe with Europe's Astrophysical Virtual Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2001-12-01

N° 73-2001 - Paris, 5 December 2001 The aim of AVO is to give astronomers instant access to the vast databanks now being built up by the world's observatories and forming what is in effect a "digital sky". Using AVO astronomers will be able, for example, to retrieve the elusive traces of the passage of an asteroid as it passes the Earth and so predict its future path and perhaps warn of a possible impact. When a giant star comes to the end of its life in a cataclysmic explosion called a supernova, they will be able to access the digital sky and pinpoint the star shortly before it exploded, adding invaluable data to the study of the evolution of stars. Modern observatories observe the sky continuously and data accumulates remorselessly in the digital archives. The growth rate is impressive and many hundreds of terabytes of data -corresponding to many thousands of billions of pixels - are already available to scientists. The real sky is being digitally reconstructed in the databanks. The volume and complexity of data and information available to astronomers are overwhelming. Hence the problem of how astronomers can possibly manage, distribute and analyse this great wealth of data. The Astrophysical Virtual Observatory will enable them to meet the challenge and "put the Universe online". AVO is a three-year project, funded by the European Commission under its Research and Technological Development (RTD) scheme, to design and implement a virtual observatory for the European astronomical community. The Commission has awarded a contract valued at EUR 4m for the project, starting on 15 November. AVO will provide software tools to enable astronomers to access the multi-wavelength data archives over the Internet and so give them the capability to resolve fundamental questions about the Universe by probing the digital sky. Equivalent searches of the "real" sky would, in comparison, both be prohibitively costly and take far too long. Towards a Global Virtual Observatory The

Continuing Education Activities of the University of British Columbia, 1977/1978.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

British Columbia Univ., Vancouver.

The 1977-78 annual report on continuing education activities of the University of British Columbia is presented. The provision of continuing education by the university is decentralized. Several administrative units are responsible for credit and noncredit, general and professional continuing education, and professional development. The following…

Support Services: University of Missouri-Columbia. Creating Employment Opportunities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gregory, Martha Wille, Ed.

This training module was developed to introduce postsecondary personnel to the support services available for students with disabilities at the University of Missouri-Columbia. The module covers the definition and philosophy of support services, including the development of rehabilitation services, independent living, and the disability rights…

Optimizing fixed observational assets in a coastal observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frolov, Sergey; Baptista, António; Wilkin, Michael

2008-11-01

Proliferation of coastal observatories necessitates an objective approach to managing of observational assets. In this article, we used our experience in the coastal observatory for the Columbia River estuary and plume to identify and address common problems in managing of fixed observational assets, such as salinity, temperature, and water level sensors attached to pilings and moorings. Specifically, we addressed the following problems: assessing the quality of an existing array, adding stations to an existing array, removing stations from an existing array, validating an array design, and targeting of an array toward data assimilation or monitoring. Our analysis was based on a combination of methods from oceanographic and statistical literature, mainly on the statistical machinery of the best linear unbiased estimator. The key information required for our analysis was the covariance structure for a field of interest, which was computed from the output of assimilated and non-assimilated models of the Columbia River estuary and plume. The network optimization experiments in the Columbia River estuary and plume proved to be successful, largely withstanding the scrutiny of sensitivity and validation studies, and hence providing valuable insight into optimization and operation of the existing observational network. Our success in the Columbia River estuary and plume suggest that algorithms for optimal placement of sensors are reaching maturity and are likely to play a significant role in the design of emerging ocean observatories, such as the United State's ocean observation initiative (OOI) and integrated ocean observing system (IOOS) observatories, and smaller regional observatories.

One hundred years ago: Start of the Optometry School at Columbia University.

PubMed

Goss, David A

2010-10-01

An optometry school at Columbia University entered its first students in 1910. This was the first optometry school at a university. This article examines what was said in optometry periodicals of 1910 and 1911 about this significant development.

Pervaya uchebnaya astronomicheskaya observatoriya Moskovskogo universiteta %t The first eductational astronomical observatory of the Moscow University

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ponomareva, G. A.; Shcheglov, P. V.

Using archive materials found in the Central Historical Archive of Moscow and early publications in Russian and German press, we follow the history of the struggle for the foundation of the University's astronomical observatory by M. N. Muravyov, the University Warden in 1803-1807. Though F. Goldbach, the astronomy professor in 1804-1811, prepared the observatory's plan and budget, it was not possible to begin construction works. Nevertheless, a wooden dome was built in 1804 on the roof of the University's main building, referred to as "the astronomical bellevedere" by Muravyov. This fist educational astronomical observatory was used for practical studies and for the students' observations. F. Goldbach himself observed from the window of a room in his apartment, so his colleagues called that room "Goldbach's observatory". Later this fact was a source of confusion for the University's historiographers. The educational observatory was destroyed, with the whole University, by the fire in September 1812. The existing archive documents claim that the Moscow University's Presnya observatory was built as a replacemnet of the one destroyed by the fire in 1812.

[Second Interim Report of the Special Committee of the Trustees of Columbia University.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Columbia Univ., New York, NY.

The Special Committee of the Trustees of Columbia University was appointed "to study and recommend changes in the basic structure of the University." The second interim report contains recommendations of the Committee on the participation of faculty and students in university governance through a proposed University Senate that would replace the…

Observation Report for the Year 2012: Humacao University Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muller, R.; Cersosimo, J.; Cotto, D.; Rodriguez, R.; Diaz, M.; Rosario, M.; Nieves, Y.; Franco, E.; Lopez, A.; Torres, B.; Vergara, N.; Del Valle, Y.; Ortiz, D.; Espinosa, G.; Reyes, M.; Carromero, O.; Martinez J.

2017-01-01

We report on the measurement of position angle and separation of 93 binary pairs. The data was obtained using the NURO Telescope at the Anderson Mesa location of Lowell Observatory, 20 miles east of Flagstaff, Arizona on May and September 2012. We gathered the data using the 2K x 2K CCD camera,-NASACAM-at the prime focus of the 31 inch telescope. The data was transferred and analyzed at the Humacao University Observatory by undergraduate students undertaking research projects.

History of Chandra X-Ray Observatory

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-01-01

This photograph shows a TRW technician inspecting the completely assembled Chandra X-ray Observatory (CXO) in the Thermal Vacuum Chamber at TRW Space and Electronics Group of Redondo Beach, California. The CXO is formerly known as the Advanced X-Ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF), which was renamed in honor of the late Indian-American Astronomer, Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar in 1999. The CXO will help astronomers worldwide better understand the structure and evolution of the universe by studying powerful sources of x-rays such as exploding stars, matter falling into black holes and other exotic celestial objects. X-ray astronomy can only be done from space because Earth's atmosphere blocks x-rays from reaching the surface. The Observatory provides images that are 50 times more detailed than previous x-ray missions. At more than 45 feet in length and weighing more than 5 tons, it will be one of the largest objects ever placed in Earth orbit by the Space Shuttle. TRW, Inc. was the prime contractor and assembled and tested the observatory for NASA. The CXO program is managed by the Marshall Space Flight Center. The Observatory was launched on July 22, 1999 aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia, STS-93 mission. (Image courtesy of TRW)

History of Chandra X-Ray Observatory

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-01-01

This photograph shows TRW technicians preparing the assembled Chandra X-Ray Observatory (CXO) for an official unveiling at TRW Space and Electronics Group of Redondo Beach, California. The CXO is formerly known as the Advanced X-Ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF), which was renamed in honor of the late Indian-American Astronomer, Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar in 1999. The CXO will help astronomers world-wide better understand the structure and evolution of the universe by studying powerful sources of x-rays such as exploding stars, matter falling into black holes, and other exotic celestial objects. X-ray astronomy can only be done from space because Earth's atmosphere blocks x-rays from reaching the surface. The Observatory provides images that are 50 times more detailed than previous x-ray missions. At more than 45 feet in length and weighing more than 5 tons, it will be one of the largest objects ever placed in Earth orbit by the Space Shuttle. TRW, Inc. was the prime contractor and assembled and tested the observatory for NASA. The CXO program is managed by the Marshall Space Flight Center. The Observatory was launched on July 22, 1999 aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia, STS-93 mission. (Image courtesy of TRW)

History of Chandra X-Ray Observatory

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-01-01

This is a computer rendering of the fully developed Chandra X-Ray Observatory (CXO), formerly Advanced X-Ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF). In 1999, the AXAF was renamed the CXO in honor of the late Indian-American Novel Laureate Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar. The CXO is the most sophisticated and the world's most powerful x-ray telescope ever built. It is designed to observe x-rays from high energy regions of the Universe, such as hot gas in the renmants of exploded stars. It produces picture-like images of x-ray emissions analogous to those made in visible light, as well as gathers data on the chemical composition of x-ray radiating objects. The CXO helps astronomers world-wide better understand the structure and evolution of the universe by studying powerful sources of x-ray such as exploding stars, matter falling into black holes, and other exotic celestial objects. The Observatory has three major parts: (1) the x-ray telescope, whose mirrors will focus x-rays from celestial objects; (2) the science instruments that record the x-rays so that x-ray images can be produced and analyzed; and (3) the spacecraft, which provides the environment necessary for the telescope and the instruments to work. TRW, Inc. was the prime contractor for the development of the CXO and NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center was responsible for its project management. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory controls science and flight operations of the CXO for NASA from Cambridge, Massachusetts. The Observatory was launched July 22, 1999 aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia, STS-93 mission. (Image courtesy of TRW).

WIYN Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murdin, P.

2000-11-01

Located at Kitt Peak in Arizona. The WIYN Observatory is owned and operated by the WIYN Consortium, which consists of the University of Wisconsin, Indiana University, Yale University and the National Optical Astronomy Observatories (NOAO). Most of the capital costs of the observatory were provided by these universities, while NOAO, which operates the other telescopes of the KITT PEAK NATIONAL OBS...

History of Chandra X-Ray Observatory

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-07-01

A crew member of the STS-93 mission took this photograph of the Chandra X-Ray Observatory, still attached to the Inertial Upper Stage (IUS), backdropped against the darkness of space not long after its release from Orbiter Columbia. Two firings of an attached IUS rocket placed the Observatory into its working orbit. The primary duty of the crew of this mission was to deploy the 50,162-pound Observatory, the world's most powerful x-ray telescope.

Chandra X-Ray Observatory (CXO) on Orbit Animation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

This is an on-orbit animation of the Chandra X-Ray Observatory (CXO), formerly Advanced X-Ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF). In 1999, the AXAF was renamed the CXO in honor of the late Indian-American Novel Laureate Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar. The CXO is the most sophisticated and the world's most powerful x-ray telescope ever built. It is designed to observe x-rays from high energy regions of the Universe, such as hot gas in the remnants of exploded stars. It produces picture-like images of x-ray emissions analogous to those made in visible light, as well as gathers data on the chemical composition of x-ray radiating objects. The CXO helps astronomers worldwide better understand the structure and evolution of the universe by studying powerful sources of x-rays such as exploding stars, matter falling into black holes, and other exotic celestial objects. TRW, Inc. was the prime contractor for the development of the CXO and NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center was responsible for its project management. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory controls science and flight operations of the CXO for NASA from Cambridge, Massachusetts. The Observatory was launched July 22, 1999 aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia, STS-93 mission.

History of Chandra X-Ray Observatory

NASA Image and Video Library

1997-01-01

This photograph shows the mirrors of the High Resolution Mirror Assembly (HRMA) for the Chandra X-Ray Observatory (CXO), formerly Advanced X-Ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF), being assembled in the Eastman Kodak Company in Rochester, New York. The AXAF was renamed CXO in 1999. The CXO is the most sophisticated and the world's most powerful x-ray telescope ever built. It observes x-rays from high-energy regions of the universe, such as hot gas in the remnants of exploded stars. The HRMA, the heart of the telescope system, is contained in the cylindrical "telescope" portion of the observatory. Since high-energy x-rays would penetrate a normal mirror, special cylindrical mirrors were created. The two sets of four nested mirrors resemble tubes within tubes. Incoming x-rays graze off the highly polished mirror surface and are furneled to the instrument section for detection and study. TRW, Inc. was the prime contractor for the development of the CXO and NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center was responsible for its project management. The Observatory was launched July 22, 1999 aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia, STS-93 mission.

Open Technologies at Athabasca University's Geospace Observatories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Connors, M. G.; Schofield, I. S.

2012-12-01

Athabasca University Geophysical Observatories feature two auroral observation sites situated in the subauroral zone of western Canada, separated by approximately 25 km. These sites are both on high-speed internet and ideal for observing phenomena detectable from this latitude, which include noctilucent clouds, meteors, and magnetic and optical aspects of the aurora. General aspects of use of Linux in observatory management are described, with emphasis on recent imaging projects involving control of high resolution digital SLR cameras at low cadence, and inexpensive white light analog video cameras at 30 Hz. Linux shell scripts are extensively used, with image capture controlled by gphoto2, the ivtv-utils package, x264 video coding library, and ffmpeg. Imagemagick allows processing of images in an automated fashion. Image archives and movies are created and can be correlated with magnetic data. Much of the magnetic data stream also uses GMT (Generic Mapping Tools) within shell scripts for display. Additionally, SPASE metadata are generated for most of the magnetic data, thus allowing users of our AUTUMN magnetic data repository to perform SPASE queries on the dataset. Visualization products from our twin observatories will be presented.

Research at Appalachian State University's Dark Sky Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caton, D. B.

2003-12-01

Astronomical research at Appalachian State University centers around the interests of the three observational astronomers on the faculty, and primarily involves observational work at our Dark Sky Observatory (DSO). ASU is a member of the 16-campus University of North Carolina system, and is a comprehensive university with about 13,000 students. Besides the usual constraint found in such a setting (teaching loads of 9-12 hours/semester), we face the challenges of maintaining a significant observatory facility in an era of shrinking state budgets. The DSO facility is 20 miles from campus, adding additional problems. This scenario differs from those of the other panelists, who are at private institutions and/or use shared facilities. The character of students at ASU also adds constraints--many have to hold part-time jobs that limit their participation in the very research that could contribute significantly to their success. Particularly, their need to leave for the summer for gainful employment at the very time that faculty have the most time for research is a loss for all concerned. In spite of these challenges, we have a long record of maintaining research programs in eclipsing binary star photometry, stellar spectroscopy and QSO/AGN monitoring. Undergraduate students are involved in all aspects of the work, from becoming competent at solo observing to publication of the results and presentation of papers and posters at meetings. Graduate students in our Masters in Applied Physics program (emphasis on instrumentation), have constructed instruments and control systems for the observatory. Most of what we have achieved would have been impossible without the support of the National Science Foundation. We have been fortunate to acquire funds under the Division of Undergraduate Education's ILI program and the Research at Undergraduate Institutions program. Among other things, this support provided our main telescope, CCD cameras, and some student stipends.

History of Chandra X-Ray Observatory

NASA Image and Video Library

1995-01-14

This is an artist's concept of the Chandra X-Ray Observatory (CXO), formerly Advanced X-Ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF), fully developed in orbit in a star field with Earth. In 1999, the AXAF was renamed the CXO in honor of the late Indian-American Novel Laureate Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar. The CXO is the most sophisticated and the world's most powerful x-ray telescope ever built. It is designed to observe x-rays from high energy regions of the Universe, such as hot gas in the renmants of exploded stars. It produces picture-like images of x-ray emissions analogous to those made in visible light, as well as gathers data on the chemical composition of x-ray radiating objects. The CXO helps astronomers world-wide better understand the structure and evolution of the universe by studying powerful sources of x-ray such as exploding stars, matter falling into black holes, and other exotic celestial objects. The Observatory has three major parts: (1) the x-ray telescope, whose mirrors will focus x-rays from celestial objects; (2) the science instruments that record the x-rays so that x-ray images can be produced and analyzed; and (3) the spacecraft, which provides the environment necessary for the telescope and the instruments to work. TRW, Inc. was the prime contractor for the development the CXO and NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center was responsible for its project management. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory controls science and flight operations of the CXO for NASA from Cambridge, Massachusetts. The Observatory was launched July 22, 1999 aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia, STS-93 mission. (Image courtesy of TRW).

History of Chandra X-Ray Observatory

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-01-01

This is a computer rendering of the fully developed Chandra X-ray Observatory (CXO), formerly Advanced X-Ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF), in orbit in a star field. In 1999, the AXAF was renamed the CXO in honor of the late Indian-American Novel Laureate Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar. The CXO is the most sophisticated and the world's most powerful x-ray telescope ever built. It is designed to observe x-rays from high energy regions of the Universe, such as hot gas in the renmants of exploded stars. It produces picture-like images of x-ray emissions analogous to those made in visible light, as well as gathers data on the chemical composition of x-ray radiating objects. The CXO helps astronomers world-wide better understand the structure and evolution of the universe by studying powerful sources of x-rays such as exploding stars, matter falling into black holes, and other exotic celestial objects. The Observatory has three major parts: (1) the x-ray telescope, whose mirrors will focus x-rays from celestial objects; (2) the science instruments that record the x-rays so that x-ray images can be produced and analyzed; and (3) the spacecraft, which provides the environment necessary for the telescope and the instruments to work. TRW, Inc. was the prime contractor for the development of the CXO and NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center was responsible for its project management. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory controls science and flight operations of the CXO for NASA from Cambridge, Massachusetts. The Observatory was launched July 22, 1999 aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia, STS-93 mission. (Image courtesy of TRW).

Benchmarking Course Completion Rates: A Method with an Example from the British Columbia Open University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Giguere, Louis

2007-01-01

We report findings on the methodological phase of a research project designed to assess the progress of the British Columbia Open University (BCOU) toward a 1997 goal of increasing distance education course completion rates to British Columbia system levels by adapting existing "off-line" courses for online delivery (a virtualization…

Observation of Young Stars at the University Observatory Jena

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berndt, A.; Errmann, R.; Maciejewski, G.; Raetz, St.; Marka, C.; Ginski, Ch.; Mugrauer, M.; Schmidt, T. O. B.; Neuhäuser, R.; Seeliger, M.; Moualla, M.; Pribulla, T.; Hohle, M. M.; Tetzlaff, N.; Adam, Ch.; Eisenbeiss, T.; YETI Team

2011-12-01

We report on observation and determination of rotational and orbital periods of young stars and eclipsing binaries in the young open cluster Trumpler 37. Observations were carried out with the "Schmidt-Teleskop-Kamera" (STK) at University Observatory Jena in 2009 and 2010.

A small Internet controllable observatory for research and education at the University of North Dakota

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hardersen, P. S.; de Silva, S.; Reddy, V.; Cui, P.; Kumar, S.; Gaffey, M. J.

2006-06-01

One of the challenges in astronomy education today is to introduce college students to the real-world practice and science of observational astronomy. Along with a good theoretical background, college students can gain an earlier, deeper understanding of the astronomy profession through direct observational and data reduction experience. However, building and managing a modest observatory is still too costly for many colleges and universities. Fortunately, advances in commercial astronomical hardware and software now allow universities to build and operate small Internet controllable observatories for a modest investment. The advantages of an Internet observatory include: 1) remote operation from a comfortable location, 2) immediate data access, 3) telescope control via a web browser, and 4) allowing both on-campus and distance education students the ability to conduct a variety of observing projects. Internet capabilities vastly expand the number of students who will be able to use the observatory, thus exposing them to astronomy as a science and as a potential career. In September 2005, the University of North Dakota (UND) Department of Space Studies began operating a small, recently renovated Internet controllable observatory. Housed within a roll-off roof 10 miles west of UND, the observatory includes a Meade 16-inch, f/10 Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope, an SBIG STL-6303e CCD with broadband filters, ACP observatory control software, focuser, and associated equipment. The observatory cost \\25,000 to build in 1996; 2005 renovation costs total \\28,000. An observatory operator prepares the telescope for use each night. Through remote operation, the roof is opened and the telescope/CCD power is turned on. The telescope is then aligned and focused before allowing students to access the observatory. Students communicate with the observatory operator via an online chat room and via telephone, if necessary, to answer questions and resolve any problems. Additional

Columbia University's Axel Patents: Technology Transfer and Implications for the Bayh-Dole Act

PubMed Central

Colaianni, Alessandra; Cook-Deegan, Robert

2009-01-01

Context: The Bayh-Dole Act of 1980, which gave federal grantees and contractors the right to patent and license inventions stemming from federally funded research, was intended to encourage commercial dissemination of research that would otherwise languish for want of a patent incentive. The case of Columbia University's Axel patents, which claimed a scientific method to introduce foreign proteins into nucleated cells, illustrates a secondary outcome of the Bayh-Dole Act: the incentive for federal grantees and contractors to pursue royalty revenues from patented research, even for inventions for which commercial use did not require patents. Methods: This article describes oral interviews with two of the three inventors and a former high-ranking administrator at Columbia; correspondence with several faculty members at Columbia to obtain key royalty figures and information about Columbia's licensing strategy; patent searches; examinations of legal records of court proceedings; and analysis of citation trends for the seminal papers disclosing the invention of cotransformation. Findings: Columbia University and the inventors profited handsomely from the Axel patents, earning $790 million in revenues through licensing arrangements that tapped profits from end products made by biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies. Columbia's aggressive effort to extend the patent duration also led to considerable legal expenditures and fierce controversy. In particular, obtaining and enforcing a 2002 patent proved costly, politically difficult, and financially fruitless and attracted intense criticism for behavior unbecoming a nonprofit academic institution. Conclusions: This case study raises several important questions about the logic and future revisions of the Bayh-Dole Act: Are revenue generation and financial rewards for inventing valuable technologies legitimate goals for this act? If so, does the federal government need credible mechanisms for oversight of, or checks and

Columbia University's Axel patents: technology transfer and implications for the Bayh-Dole Act.

PubMed

Colaianni, Alessandra; Cook-Deegan, Robert

2009-09-01

The Bayh-Dole Act of 1980, which gave federal grantees and contractors the right to patent and license inventions stemming from federally funded research, was intended to encourage commercial dissemination of research that would otherwise languish for want of a patent incentive. The case of Columbia University's Axel patents, which claimed a scientific method to introduce foreign proteins into nucleated cells, illustrates a secondary outcome of the Bayh-Dole Act: the incentive for federal grantees and contractors to pursue royalty revenues from patented research, even for inventions for which commercial use did not require patents. This article describes oral interviews with two of the three inventors and a former high-ranking administrator at Columbia; correspondence with several faculty members at Columbia to obtain key royalty figures and information about Columbia's licensing strategy; patent searches; examinations of legal records of court proceedings; and analysis of citation trends for the seminal papers disclosing the invention of cotransformation. Columbia University and the inventors profited handsomely from the Axel patents, earning $790 million in revenues through licensing arrangements that tapped profits from end products made by biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies. Columbia's aggressive effort to extend the patent duration also led to considerable legal expenditures and fierce controversy. In particular, obtaining and enforcing a 2002 patent proved costly, politically difficult, and financially fruitless and attracted intense criticism for behavior unbecoming a nonprofit academic institution. This case study raises several important questions about the logic and future revisions of the Bayh-Dole Act: Are revenue generation and financial rewards for inventing valuable technologies legitimate goals for this act? If so, does the federal government need credible mechanisms for oversight of, or checks and balances on, the rights conferred?

Planetary transit observations at the University Observatory Jena: TrES-2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raetz, St.; Mugrauer, M.; Schmidt, T. O. B.; Roell, T.; Eisenbeiss, T.; Hohle, M. M.; Koeltzsch, A.; Vaňko, M.; Ginski, Ch.; Marka, C.; Moualla, M.; Tetzlaff, N.; Seifahrt, A.; Broeg, Ch.; Koppenhoefer, J.; Raetz, M.; Neuhäuser, R.

2009-05-01

We report on observations of several transit events of the transiting planet TrES-2 obtained with the Cassegrain-Teleskop-Kamera at the University Observatory Jena. Between March 2007 and November 2008 ten different transits and almost a complete orbital period were observed. Overall, in 40 nights of observation 4291 exposures (in total 71.52 h of observation) of the TrES-2 parent star were taken. With the transit timings for TrES-2 from the 34 events published by the TrES-network, the Transit Light Curve project and the Exoplanet Transit Database plus our own ten transits, we find that the orbital period is P=(2.470614± 0.000001) d, a slight change by ˜ 0.6 s compared to the previously published period. We present new ephemeris for this transiting planet. Furthermore, we found a second dip after the transit which could either be due to a blended variable star or occultation of a second star or even an additional object in the system. Our observations will be useful for future investigations of timing variations caused by additional perturbing planets and/or stellar spots and/or moons. Based on observations obtained with telescopes of the University Observatory Jena, which is operated by the Astrophysical Institute of the Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena and the 80cm telescope of the Wendelstein Observatory of the Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich.

The Institutionalization of NSF-ADVANCE at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dutt, K.

2011-12-01

National level data indicate that women and minorities remain underrepresented in academic and research institutions, especially in the physical sciences. Current research shows evidence of "leaks" in the academic pipeline with women leaving academic and research institutions before attaining senior positions, the biggest leak occurring during postdoctoral years. These trends have been consistent with the LDEO experience with approximately 18% women at the junior scientist level in 2005 - a massive drop-off after approximately 41% women at the postdoctoral level. As a response to the recommendations of ADVANCE at Columbia University (2004-2009) the Office of Academic Affairs and Diversity was created within the LDEO Directorate in 2008 with the goal of increasing diversity through institutional transformation. The goals of this office are to: a) Develop and implement new policies and procedures to increase the recruitment, retention and advancement of women and minorities among the scientific staff; b) Impact key decision-making areas such as appointments, promotions, salary structures, and governance; c) Promote the advancement of postdoctoral scholars and junior staff; d) Stimulate an institutional cultural shift based on social science research on race and gender. A series of concerted efforts and initiatives in recent years have included: a) More structured search processes; b) Improved family leave policies and paid time off; c) Emphasis on advancement of postdoctoral scholars, including the implementation of a postdoctoral mentoring plan; and d) Promoting awareness within the LDEO community on diversity in the sciences. In recent years LDEO has experienced visible progress towards its diversity goals. The proportion of women among junior Lamont research professors has doubled from 18% in 2005 to 36% in 2011. The proportion of women on the junior scientific staff (excluding postdoctoral scholars) increased from 22% in 2005 to 37% in 2011. Overall, the

Performance Logic in Simulation Research at the University of British Columbia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boyd, Marcia A.

Advantages of the performance simulation setting are considered, along with what can be studied or developed within this setting. Experiences at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and views on future development and research opportunities in the performance simulation setting are also discussed. The benefits of simulating the clinical…

INTERIOR OF STANDARDIZING MAGNETIC OBSERVATORY, LOOKING NORTH. NOTE THE PIER ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

INTERIOR OF STANDARDIZING MAGNETIC OBSERVATORY, LOOKING NORTH. NOTE THE PIER (CENTER) ON WHICH WAS WAS MOUNTED MAGNETIC MEASURING INSTRUMENTS FOR TESTING. - Carnegie Institution of Washington, Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, Standardizing Magnetic Observatory, 5241 Broad Branch Drive Northwest, Washington, District of Columbia, DC

78 FR 29393 - University of Missouri-Columbia Facility Operating License No. R-103

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-20

... Curators of the University of Missouri--Columbia (the licensee) to operate the Missouri University Research Reactor (MURR) at a maximum steady-state thermal power of 10 megawatts (MW). The renewed license would authorize the licensee to operate the MURR up to a steady-state thermal power of 10 MW for an additional 20...

University of Hawaii Lure Observatory. [lunar laser ranging system construction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carter, W. E.; Williams, J. D.

1973-01-01

The University of Hawaii's Institute for Astronomy is currently constructing a lunar laser ranging observatory at the 3050-meter summit of Mt. Haleakala, Hawaii. The Nd YAG laser system to be employed provides three pulses per second, each pulse being approximately 200 picoseconds in duration. The energy contained in one pulse at 5320 A lies in the range from 250 to 350 millijoules. Details of observatory construction are provided together with transmitter design data and information concerning the lunastat, the feed telescope, the relative pointing system, the receiver, and the event timer system.

STS-93 Commander Collins poses in front of Columbia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

STS-93 Commander Eileen Collins poses in front of the Space Shuttle orbiter Columbia following her textbook landing on runway 33 at the Shuttle Landing Facility. Main gear touchdown occurred at 11:20:35 p.m. EDT on July 27. On this mission, Collins became the first woman to serve as a Shuttle commander. Also on board were her fellow STS-93 crew members: Pilot Jeffrey S. Ashby and Mission Specialists Stephen A. Hawley (Ph.D.), Catherine G. Coleman (Ph.D.) and Michel Tognini of France, with the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES). The mission's primary objective was to deploy the Chandra X-ray Observatory, which will allow scientists from around the world to study some of the most distant, powerful and dynamic objects in the universe. This was the 95th flight in the Space Shuttle program and the 26th for Columbia. The landing was the 19th consecutive Shuttle landing in Florida and the 12th night landing in Shuttle program history.

The STS-93 crew pose in front of Columbia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

The STS-93 crew pose in front of the Space Shuttle orbiter Columbia following their landing on runway 33 at the Shuttle Landing Facility. Main gear touchdown occurred at 11:20:35 p.m. EDT on July 27. From left to right, they are Mission Specialists Catherine G. Coleman (Ph.D.) and Stephen A. Hawley (Ph.D.), Pilot Jeffrey S. Ashby, Commander Eileen Collins, and Mission Specialist Michel Tognini of France, with the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES). The mission's primary objective was to deploy the Chandra X-ray Observatory, which will allow scientists from around the world to study some of the most distant, powerful and dynamic objects in the universe. This was the 95th flight in the Space Shuttle program and the 26th for Columbia. The landing was the 19th consecutive Shuttle landing in Florida and the 12th night landing in Shuttle program history. On this mission, Collins became the first woman to serve as a Shuttle commander.

Preliminary tsunami hazard assessment in British Columbia, Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Insua, T. L.; Grilli, A. R.; Grilli, S. T.; Shelby, M. R.; Wang, K.; Gao, D.; Cherniawsky, J. Y.; Harris, J. C.; Heesemann, M.; McLean, S.; Moran, K.

2015-12-01

Ocean Networks Canada (ONC), a not-for-profit initiative by the University of Victoria that operates several cabled ocean observatories, is developing a new generation of ocean observing systems (referred to as Smart Ocean Systems™), involving advanced undersea observation technologies, data networks and analytics. The ONC Tsunami project is a Smart Ocean Systems™ project that addresses the need for a near-field tsunami detection system for the coastal areas of British Columbia. Recent studies indicate that there is a 40-80% probability over the next 50 for a significant tsunami impacting the British Columbia (BC) coast with runups higher than 1.5 m. The NEPTUNE cabled ocean observatory, operated by ONC off of the west coast of British Columbia, could be used to detect near-field tsunami events with existing instrumentation, including seismometers and bottom pressure recorders. As part of this project, new tsunami simulations are underway for the BC coast. Tsunami propagation is being simulated with the FUNWAVE-TVD model, for a suite of new source models representing Cascadia megathrust rupture scenarios. Simulations are performed by one-way coupling in a series of nested model grids (from the source to the BC coast), whose bathymetry was developed based on digital elevation maps (DEMs) of the area, to estimate both tsunami arrival time and coastal runup/inundation for different locations. Besides inundation, maps of additional parameters such as maximum current are being developed, that will aid in tsunami hazard assessment and risk mitigation, as well as developing evacuation plans. We will present initial results of this work for the Port Alberni inlet, in particular Ucluelet, based on new source models developed using the best available data. We will also present a model validation using measurements of the 2011 transpacific Tohoku-oki tsunami recorded in coastal BC by several instruments from various US and Canadian agencies.

GENERAL VIEW, LOOKING NORTH, OF ATOMIC PHYSICS OBSERVATORY WHICH CONTAINS ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

GENERAL VIEW, LOOKING NORTH, OF ATOMIC PHYSICS OBSERVATORY WHICH CONTAINS THE WHITE DOME STRUCTURE. THE SHED-LIKE STRUCTURE TO THE LEFT IS THE SEARCH-LIGHT BUILDING. - Carnegie Institution of Washington, Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, Atomic Physics Observatory, 5241 Broad Branch Drive Northwest, Washington, District of Columbia, DC

Chandra X-Ray Observatory High Resolution Mirror Assembly

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

This photograph shows the mirrors of the High Resolution Mirror Assembly (HRMA) for the Chandra X-Ray Observatory (CXO), formerly Advanced X-Ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF), being assembled in the Eastman Kodak Company in Rochester, New York. The AXAF was renamed CXO in 1999. The CXO is the most sophisticated and the world's most powerful x-ray telescope ever built. It observes x-rays from high-energy regions of the universe, such as hot gas in the remnants of exploded stars. The HRMA, the heart of the telescope system, is contained in the cylindrical 'telescope' portion of the observatory. Since high-energy x-rays would penetrate a normal mirror, special cylindrical mirrors were created. The two sets of four nested mirrors resemble tubes within tubes. Incoming x-rays graze off the highly polished mirror surface and are furneled to the instrument section for detection and study. TRW, Inc. was the prime contractor for the development of the CXO and NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center was responsible for its project management. The Observatory was launched July 22, 1999 aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia, STS-93 mission.

Columbia Daily Tribune v. The Curators of the University of Missouri: A Case Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watt, Phyllis C.

The 1978 lawsuit between the Columbia, Missouri, "Daily Tribune" and the University of Missouri concerning Sunshine Laws, while singular and specific, is of concern to all news organizations. When "Tribune" reporter Randy McConnell was denied access to the University's audit reports and other documents and was forbidden to…

The Administrative Organization of the Libraries of Columbia University: A Detailed Description.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Columbia Univ., New York, NY. The Libraries.

In an effort to apply modern management techniques to the Columbia University Libraries, the Association of Research Libraries sponsored a study which called for restructuring the libraries to underscore functional relationships. The report of that study was reviewed by the libraries' administration and staff, and reorganization plans were made…

Chandra X-ray Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elvis, M.; Murdin, P.

2002-10-01

Launched on 23 July 1999 on board the SpaceShuttle Columbia from Cape Canaveral, the ChandraX-ray Observatory is the first x-ray astronomytelescope to match the 1/2 arcsecond imagingpower and the 0.1% spectral resolving power ofoptical telescopes. Chandra is named afterSubramanian Chandrasekhar, known as Chandra, andauthor of the Chandrasekhar limit. Chandra hasbeen extremely successful and produc...

From Community College to University: Institutionalization and Neoliberalism in British Columbia and Alberta

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levin, John S.; Aliyeva, Aida; Walker, Laurencia

2016-01-01

This qualitative investigation of higher education institutional development addresses new universities that were former community colleges in the provinces of British Columbia and Alberta. Stemming from an original study conducted nearly two decades earlier, this investigation's data were collected from the same institutions and from similar…

A Dedicated Environmental Remote Sensing Facility for the Columbia Earth Institute

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weissel, Jeffrey K.; Small, Christopher

1999-01-01

This paper presents a final technical report on a dedicated environmental remote sensing facility for the Columbia Earth Institute. The above-referenced award enabled the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory to establish a state-of-the-art remote sensing image analysis and data visualization facility to serve the research and educational needs of students and staff at Lamont and the Columbia Earth Institute.

Providing Undergraduate Research Opportunities Through the World Rivers Observatory Collaborative Network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gillies, S. L.; Marsh, S. J.; Janmaat, A.; Peucker-Ehrenbrink, B.; Voss, B.; Holmes, R. M.

2013-12-01

Successful research collaboration exists between the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV), a primarily undergraduate-serving university located on the Fraser River in British Columbia, and the World Rivers Observatory that is coordinated through the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) and the Woods Hole Research Center (WHRC). The World Rivers Observatory coordinates time-series sampling of 15 large rivers, with particular focus on the large Arctic rivers, the Ganges-Brahmaputra, Congo, Fraser, Yangtze (Changjiang), Amazon, and Mackenzie River systems. The success of this international observatory critically depends on the participation of local collaborators, such as UFV, that are necessary in order to collect temporally resolved data from these rivers. Several faculty members and undergraduate students from the Biology and Geography Departments of UFV received on-site training from the lead-PIs of the Global Rivers Observatory. To share information and ensure good quality control of sampling methods, WHOI and WHRC hosted two international workshops at Woods Hole for collaborators. For the past four years, faculty and students from UFV have been collecting a variety of bi-monthly water samples from the Fraser River for the World Rivers Observatory. UFV undergraduate students who become involved learn proper sampling techniques and are given the opportunity to design and conduct their own research. Students have collected, analyzed and presented data from this project at regional, national, and international scientific meetings. UFV undergraduate students have also been hosted by WHOI and WHRC as guest students to work on independent research projects. While at WHOI and WHRC, students are able to conduct research using state-of-the-art specialized research facilities not available at UFV.

The Interdisciplinary Course in the Legal Aspects of Noise Pollution at Columbia University.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harris, Cyril M.; Rosenthal, Albert J.

1981-01-01

A course in the legal aspects of noise pollution, cross-listed for students in Columbia University's Law and Engineering Schools, is described. Although noise is used as the major source of environmental pollution in this course, the principles and methodology discussed apply to other forms of environmental law. (MLW)

The Chandra X-ray Observatory removed from its container in the Vertical Processing Facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

Inside the Vertical Processing Facility (VPF), the overhead crane lifts Chandra X-ray Observatory completely out of its protective container. While in the VPF, the telescope will undergo final installation of associated electronic components; it will also be tested, fueled and mated with the Inertial Upper Stage booster. A set of integrated tests will follow. Chandra is scheduled for launch July 9 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, on mission STS-93 . Formerly called the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility, Chandra comprises three major elements: the spacecraft, the science instrument module (SIM), and the world's most powerful X-ray telescope. Chandra will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of our universe.

The Chandra X-ray Observatory removed from its container in the Vertical Processing Facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

Inside the Vertical Processing Facility (VPF), workers begin lifting the Chandra X-ray Observatory out of its protective container. While in the VPF, the telescope will undergo final installation of associated electronic components; it will also be tested, fueled and mated with the Inertial Upper Stage booster. A set of integrated tests will follow. Chandra is scheduled for launch July 9 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, on mission STS-93 . Formerly called the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility, Chandra comprises three major elements: the spacecraft, the science instrument module (SIM), and the world's most powerful X-ray telescope. Chandra will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of our universe.

Standard UBV Observations at the Çanakkale University Observatory (ÇUO)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bakis, Hicran; Bakis, Volkan; Demircan, Osman; Budding, Edwin

2005-07-01

By using standard and comparison star observations carried out at different times of the year, at Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University Observatory, we obtained the atmospheric extinction coefficients at the observatory. We also obtained transformation coefficients and zero-point constants for the transformation to the standard Johnson UBV system, of observations in the local system carried out with the SSP5A photometer and T40 telescope. The transmission curves and the mean wavelengths of the UBV filters as measured in the laboratory appear not much different from those of the standard Johnson system and found inside the transmission curve of the standard mean atmosphere.

History of Chandra X-Ray Observatory

NASA Image and Video Library

1997-05-01

This photograph shows the Chandra X-Ray Observatory (CXO), formerly Advanced X-Ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF), High Resolution Mirror Assembly (HRMA) being removed from the test structure in the X-Ray Calibration Facility (XRCF) at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). The AXAF was renamed CXO in 1999. The CXO is the most sophisticated and the world's most powerful x-ray telescope ever built. It observes x-rays from high-energy regions of the universe, such as hot gas in the remnants of exploded stars. The HRMA, the heart of the telescope system, is contained in the cylindrical "telescope" portion of the observatory. Since high-energy x-rays would penetrate a normal mirror, special cylindrical mirrors were created. The two sets of four nested mirrors resemble tubes within tubes. Incoming x-rays graze off the highly polished mirror surface and are furneled to the instrument section for detection and study. MSFC's XRCF is the world's largest, most advanced laboratory for simulating x-ray emissions from distant celestial objects. It produces a space-like environment in which components related to x-ray telescope imaging are tested and the quality of their performances in space is predicted. TRW, Inc. was the prime contractor for the development of the CXO and NASA's MSFC was responsible for its project management. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory controls science and flight operations of the CXO for NASA from Cambridge, Massachusetts. The CXO was launched July 22, 1999 aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-93).

History of Chandra X-Ray Observatory

NASA Image and Video Library

1996-12-16

This is a photograph of the Chandra X-Ray Observatory (CXO), formerly Advanced X-Ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF), High Resolution Mirror Assembly (HRMA) integration at the X-Ray Calibration Facility (XRCF) at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). The AXAF was renamed CXO in 1999. The CXO is the most sophisticated and the world's most powerful x-ray telescope ever built. It observes x-rays from high-energy regions of the universe, such as hot gas in the remnants of exploded stars. The HRMA, the heart of the telescope system, is contained in the cylindrical "telescope" portion of the observatory. Since high-energy x-rays would penetrate a normal mirror, special cylindrical mirrors were created. The two sets of four nested mirrors resemble tubes within tubes. Incoming x-rays graze off the highly polished mirror surface and are furneled to the instrument section for detection and study. MSFC's XRCF is the world's largest, most advanced laboratory for simulating x-ray emissions from distant celestial objects. It produces a space-like environment in which components related to x-ray telescope imaging are tested and the quality of their performances in space is predicted. TRW, Inc. was the prime contractor for the development of the CXO and NASA's MSFC was responsible for its project management. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory controls science and flight operations of the CXO for NASA from Cambridge, Massachusetts. The CXO was launched July 22, 1999 aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-93).

History of Chandra X-Ray Observatory

NASA Image and Video Library

1997-12-16

This is a photograph of the Chandra X-Ray Observatory (CXO), formerly Advanced X-Ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF), High Resolution Mirror Assembly (HRMA) integration at the X-Ray Calibration Facility (XRCF) at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). The AXAF was renamed CXO in 1999. The CXO is the most sophisticated and the world's most powerful x-ray telescope ever built. It observes x-rays from high-energy regions of the universe, such as hot gas in the remnants of exploded stars. The HRMA, the heart of the telescope system, is contained in the cylindrical "telescope" portion of the observatory. Since high-energy x-rays would penetrate a normal mirror, special cylindrical mirrors were created. The two sets of four nested mirrors resemble tubes within tubes. Incoming x-rays graze off the highly polished mirror surface and are furneled to the instrument section for detection and study. MSFC's XRCF is the world's largest, most advanced laboratory for simulating x-ray emissions from distant celestial objects. It produces a space-like environment in which components related to x-ray telescope imaging are tested and the quality of their performances in space is predicted. TRW, Inc. was the prime contractor for the development of the CXO and NASA's MSCF was responsible for its project management. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory controls science and flight operations of the CXO for NASA from Cambridge, Massachusetts. The CXO was launched July 22, 1999 aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-93).

History of Chandra X-Ray Observatory

NASA Image and Video Library

1997-05-01

This photograph shows the Chandra X-ray Observatory (CXO), formerly Advanced X-Ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF), High Resolution Mirror Assembly (HRMA) being removed from the test structure in the X-Ray Calibration Facility (XRCF) at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). The AXAF was renamed CXO in 1999. The CXO is the most sophisticated and the world's most powerful x-ray telescope ever built. It observes x-rays from high-energy regions of the universe, such as hot gas in the remnants of exploded stars. The HRMA, the heart of the telescope system, is contained in the cylindrical "telescope" portion of the observatory. Since high-energy x-rays would penetrate a normal mirror, special cylindrical mirrors were created. The two sets of four nested mirrors resemble tubes within tubes. Incoming x-rays graze off the highly polished mirror surface and are furneled to the instrument section for detection and study. MSFC's XRCF is the world's largest, most advanced laboratory for simulating x-ray emissions from distant celestial objects. It produces a space-like environment in which components related to x-ray telescope imaging are tested and the quality of their performances in space is predicted. TRW, Inc. was the prime contractor for the development of the CXO and NASA's MSFC was responsible for its project management. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory controls science and flight operations of the CXO for NASA from Cambridge, Massachusetts. The CXO was launched July 22, 1999 aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-93).

A Report on Double Star Observations for the Year 2014 by the Humacao University Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muller, R. J.; Cotto, D.; Cersosimo, J. C.; Rodriguez, R.; Diaz, M.; Rosario, M.; Nieves, Y.; Franco, E.; Lopez, A.; Torres, B. S.; Vergara, N.; Mendoza, L.; Ortiz, D.; Martinez, J.; Reyes, M.; del Valle-Rodriguez, Y.; Espinosa, G.; Diaz, V.; Rivera, C.; Morales, B.

2018-01-01

We report measurements of separation and position angle of 79 binary pairs. The data were obtained using the NURO Telescope at the Anderson Mesa location of Lowell Observatory, 20 miles east of Flagstaff, Arizona, at an altitude of 7000 feet, on June 12 and 13, 2014. We gathered the data using the 2K x 2K CCD camera,-NASACAM-at the prime focus of the 31 inch telescope. The data was transferred and analyzed at the Humacao University Observatory of the University of Puerto Rico by students undertaking research projects.

CTK-II & RTK: The CCD-cameras operated at the auxiliary telescopes of the University Observatory Jena

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mugrauer, M.

2016-03-01

The Cassegrain-Teleskop-Kamera (CTK-II) and the Refraktor-Teleskop-Kamera (RTK) are two CCD-imagers which are operated at the 25 cm Cassegrain and 20 cm refractor auxiliary telescopes of the University Observatory Jena. This article describes the main characteristics of these instruments. The properties of the CCD-detectors, the astrometry, the image quality, and the detection limits of both CCD-cameras, as well as some results of ongoing observing projects, carried out with these instruments, are presented. Based on observations obtained with telescopes of the University Observatory Jena, which is operated by the Astrophysical Institute of the Friedrich-Schiller-University.

Delving into Inquiry Learning in Teacher Education at the University of British Columbia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rushton, Claire; Webb, Andrea S.

2016-01-01

This paper discusses a series of inquiry-based seminars that are central to the teacher education program at the University of British Columbia. This teacher education program reflects the changing curriculum in the province. The new inquiry-based provincial curriculum is being implemented between 2015 and 2018 and the teacher education program is…

Reorganization and Reconfiguration of the Information Management System of Istanbul University Observatory taking the Padova - Asiago Observatory Information Management System as a Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gulsecen, S.; Saygac, A. T.; Passuello, R.; Rigoni, A.

1998-01-01

In this paper we describe the need for a more powerful Information management System (IMS) to be used as a useful aid for astronomers. The main purpose of IMS in astronomical places like observatories and astronomy departments is described and two models are presented: one to be reorganized and reconfigurated (Istanbul University,Faculty of Science, Department of Astronomy and Space Sciences -ASS- IMS) and one to be taken as a good model for the previous (University of Padova, Asiago astrophysical Observatory IMS). Particular attention is given to the implementation of the new IMS of ASS to be done carefully. In order to take success in this, the need for current and future cooperation and support in mentioned.

First Student Project at the University of Tennessee at Martin Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crews, Lionel J.; Turner, K.; Wesner, P.

2011-05-01

The University of Tennessee at Martin has recently completed the construction and setup of an observatory. The dome houses a 16" Meade telescope with SBIG STL-11000M CCD. For its first project, observations of the Delta Scuti type variable SZ Lynx were taken in March and analyzed using MiraPRO. A simple ephemeris calculation was done, and compared to previous results. This project was done under the University Scholars program, a four year scholarship program which includes a faculty-mentored research project.

The Extreme Universe Space Observatory Super Pressure Balloon Mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiencke, Lawrence; Olinto, Angela; Adams, Jim; JEM-EUSO Collaboration

2017-01-01

The Extreme Universe Space Observatory on a super pressure balloon (EUSO-SPB) mission will make the first fluorescence observations of high energy cosmic ray extensive air showers by looking down on the atmosphere from near space. A long duration flight of at least 50 nights launched from Wanaka NZ is planned for 2017. We describe completed instrument, and the planned mission. We acknowledge the support of NASA through grants NNX13AH53G and NNX13AH55G.

The Carl Sagan solar and stellar observatories as remote observatories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saucedo-Morales, J.; Loera-Gonzalez, P.

In this work we summarize recent efforts made by the University of Sonora, with the goal of expanding the capability for remote operation of the Carl Sagan Solar and Stellar Observatories, as well as the first steps that have been taken in order to achieve autonomous robotic operation in the near future. The solar observatory was established in 2007 on the university campus by our late colleague A. Sánchez-Ibarra. It consists of four solar telescopes mounted on a single equatorial mount. On the other hand, the stellar observatory, which saw the first light on 16 February 2010, is located 21 km away from Hermosillo, Sonora at the site of the School of Agriculture of the University of Sonora. Both observatories can now be remotely controlled, and to some extent are able to operate autonomously. In this paper we discuss how this has been accomplished in terms of the use of software as well as the instruments under control. We also briefly discuss the main scientific and educational objectives, the future plans to improve the control software and to construct an autonomous observatory on a mountain site, as well as the opportunities for collaborations.

History of Chandra X-Ray Observatory

NASA Image and Video Library

1997-04-15

This photograph captures the installation of the Chandra X-Ray Observatory, formerly Advanced X-Ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF), Advanced Charged-Coupled Device (CCD) Imaging Spectrometer (ACIS) into the Vacuum Chamber at the X-Ray Calibration Facility (XRCF) at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). The AXAF was renamed Chandra X-Ray Observatory (CXO) in 1999. The CXO is the most sophisticated and the world's most powerful x-ray telescope ever built. It observes x-rays from high-energy regions of the universe, such as hot gas in the remnants of exploded stars. The ACIS is one of two focal plane instruments. As the name suggests, this instrument is an array of CCDs similar to those used in a camcorder. This instrument will be especially useful because it can make x-ray images and measure the energies of incoming x-rays. It is the instrument of choice for studying the temperature variation across x-ray sources, such as vast clouds of hot-gas intergalactic space. MSFC's XRCF is the world's largest, most advanced laboratory for simulating x-ray emissions from distant celestial objects. It produces a space-like environment in which components related to x-ray telescope imaging are tested and the quality of their performances in space is predicted. TRW, Inc. was the prime contractor for the development of the CXO and NASA's MSFC was responsible for its project management. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory controls science and flight operations of the CXO for NASA from Cambridge, Massachusetts. The CXO was launched July 22, 1999 aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-93).

Engaging Students in Atmospheric Science: A University-High School Collaboration in British Columbia, Canada

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sinclair, K. E.; Marshall, S. J.

2009-01-01

Five high schools in British Columbia, Canada, participated in an atmospheric sciences project during the winter of 2006-07 established by researchers at the University of Calgary. Precipitation gauges and temperature and relative humidity probes were installed at each school and students were asked to collect a water sample each day that…

Liftoff of Space Shuttle Columbia on mission STS-93

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

The fiery launch of Space Shuttle Columbia casts ghost-like shadows on the clouds of smoke and steam surrounding it. Liftoff occurred at 12:31 a.m. EDT. STS-93 is a five-day mission primarily to release the Chandra X-ray Observatory, which will allow scientists from around the world to study some of the most distant, powerful and dynamic objects in the universe. The crew numbers five: Commander Eileen M. Collins, Pilot Jeffrey S. Ashby, and Mission Specialists Stephen A. Hawley (Ph.D.), Catherine G. Coleman (Ph.D.) and Michel Tognini of France, with the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES). Collins is the first woman to serve as commander of a Shuttle mission. The target landing date is July 27, 1999, at 11:20 p.m. EDT.

The Extreme Universe Space Observatory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adams, Jim; Six, N. Frank (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

This talk will describe the Extreme Universe Space Observatory (EUSO) mission. EUSO is an ESA mission to explore the most powerful energy sources in the universe. The mission objectives of EUSO are to investigate EECRs, those with energies above 3x10(exp 19) eV, and very high-energy cosmic neutrinos. These objectives are directly related to extreme conditions in the physical world and possibly involve the early history of the big bang and the framework of GUTs. EUSO tackles the basic problem posed by the existence of these extreme-energy events. The solution could have a unique impact on fundamental physics, cosmology, and/or astrophysics. At these energies, magnetic deflection is thought to be so small that the EECR component would serve as the particle channel for astronomy. EUSO will make the first measurements of EAS from space by observing atmospheric fluorescence in the Earth's night sky. With measurements of the airshower track, EUSO will determine the energy and arrival direction of these extreme-energy events. EUSO will make high statistics observations of CRs beyond the predicted GZK cutoff energy and widen the channel for high-energy neutrino astronomy. The energy spectra, arrival directions, and shower profiles will be analyzed to distinguish the nature of these events and search for their sources. With EUSO data, we will have the possibility to discover a local EECR source, test Z-burst scenarios and other theories, and look for evidence of the breakdown of the relativity principle at extreme Lorentz factors.

The Learning Exchange: A Shared Space for the University of British Columbia and Vancouver's Downtown Eastside Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Towle, Angela; Leahy, Kathleen

2016-01-01

The Learning Exchange was established by the University of British Columbia (UBC) in 1999 in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside (DTES). The challenge has been to create a shared space for learning exchanges between two very different communities: a research-intensive university and an inner city area most commonly depicted as a place of hopelessness.…

GENERAL VIEW, LOOKING SOUTHEAST, OF STANDARDIZING MAGNETIC OBSERVATORY (SMO) WHICH ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

GENERAL VIEW, LOOKING SOUTHEAST, OF STANDARDIZING MAGNETIC OBSERVATORY (SMO) WHICH IS TO THE RIGHT. THE BUILDING TO THE LEFT IS 'STATION 'A'', ALSO A NON-MAGNETIC STRUCTURE, ONCE USED FOR COMPARISONS OF MAGNETIC INSTRUMENTS WITH THE SMO. THE BUILDING IN THE CENTER CONTAINED A SEARCH-LIGHT USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH MEASUREMENTS OF THE EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE. - Carnegie Institution of Washington, Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, Standardizing Magnetic Observatory, 5241 Broad Branch Drive Northwest, Washington, District of Columbia, DC

The Chandra X-ray Observatory prepped for removal from its container in the Vertical Processing Faci

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

Inside the Vertical Processing Facility (VPF), workers check the overhead cable that will lift the Chandra X-ray Observatory out of its protective container. While in the VPF, the telescope will undergo final installation of associated electronic components; it will also be tested, fueled and mated with the Inertial Upper Stage booster. A set of integrated tests will follow. Chandra is scheduled for launch July 9 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, on mission STS-93 . Formerly called the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility, Chandra comprises three major elements: the spacecraft, the science instrument module (SIM), and the world's most powerful X-ray telescope. Chandra will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of our universe.

The Chandra X-ray Observatory prepped for removal from its container in the Vertical Processing Faci

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

Inside the Vertical Processing Facility (VPF), the Chandra X-ray Observatory (top) lies in its protective container while workers on the floor prepare the overhead cable that will remove it. In the VPF, the telescope will undergo final installation of associated electronic components; it will also be tested, fueled and mated with the Inertial Upper Stage booster. A set of integrated tests will follow. Chandra is scheduled for launch July 9 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, on mission STS-93 . Formerly called the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility, Chandra comprises three major elements: the spacecraft, the science instrument module (SIM), and the world's most powerful X-ray telescope. Chandra will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of our universe.

The Chandra X-ray Observatory prepped for removal from its container in the Vertical Processing Faci

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

Inside the Vertical Processing Facility (VPF), workers attach the overhead cable to the Chandra X-ray Observatory to lift it out of its protective container. While in the VPF, the telescope will undergo final installation of associated electronic components; it will also be tested, fueled and mated with the Inertial Upper Stage booster. A set of integrated tests will follow. Chandra is scheduled for launch July 9 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, on mission STS-93 . Formerly called the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility, Chandra comprises three major elements: the spacecraft, the science instrument module (SIM), and the world's most powerful X-ray telescope. Chandra will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of our universe.

Photoelectric observations of the long-period eclipsing binaries at Yonsei University Observatory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nha, I. S.; Lee, Y. S.; Chun, Y. W.; Kim, H. I.; Kim, Y. S.

1985-01-01

A long term project (ten-years; 1982-92) for the photoelectric observation in the UBV passbands of selected eclipsing binaries with P 10 days has initiated at Yonsei University Observatory using 40-cm and 61-cm reflectors. The instrumentation used and the observation techniques and the reduction procedures applied to this investigation are described.

The Columbia University Sub-micron Charged Particle Beam

PubMed Central

Randers-Pehrson, Gerhard; Johnson, Gary W.; Marino, Stephen A.; Xu, Yanping; Dymnikov, Alexander D.; Brenner, David J.

2009-01-01

A lens system consisting of two electrostatic quadrupole triplets has been designed and constructed at the Radiological Research Accelerator Facility (RARAF) of Columbia University. The lens system has been used to focus 6-MeV 4He ions to a beam spot in air with a diameter of 0.8 µm. The quadrupole electrodes can withstand voltages high enough to focus 4He ions up to 10 MeV and protons up to 5 MeV. The quadrupole triplet design is novel in that alignment is made through precise construction and the relative strengths of the quadrupoles are accomplished by the lengths of the elements, so that the magnitudes of the voltages required for focusing are nearly identical. The insulating sections between electrodes have had ion implantation to improve the voltage stability of the lens. The lens design employs Russian symmetry for the quadrupole elements. PMID:20161365

New Observatory at the University of Tennessee at Martin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crews, Lionel J.; Chrysler, R.; Turner, K.

2010-01-01

A new observatory has been completed at the University of Tennessee at Martin and is now open for student research, local teacher training, and public outreach. The telescope is a 16" Meade RCT on a Software Bisque Paramount ME mount, 10' HomeDome, and SBIG CCD camera. The project endured many delays from a necessary change in housing from roll-top roof to dome, to the shutter blowing off in a heavy windstorm. This project was funded primarily by a Tennessee Math-Science Partnership grant (PI: Dr. Michael Gibson, UT Martin) directed at secondary teacher training in sciences.

McDonald Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murdin, P.

2000-11-01

McDonald Observatory, located in West Texas near Fort Davis, is the astronomical observatory of the University of Texas at Austin. Discoveries at McDonald Observatory include water vapor on Mars, the abundance of rare-earth chemical elements in stars, the discovery of planets circling around nearby stars and the use of the measurements of rapid oscillations in the brightness of white dwarf stars ...

Auger Prime the new stage of the Pierre Auger Observatory, using Universality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parra, Alejandra; Martínez, Oscar; Salazar, Humberto

2016-10-01

The Pierre Auger Observatory is currently in an update stage denominated AugerPrime. The Observatory will have scintillator detectors on top of each of the surface stations (WCD). The main goal of AugerPrime is to improve the studies on mass composition for ultra high energy cosmic rays, for this purpose AugerPrime will use Universality. The model will parameterize the signal in four principal components, the objective is an adequate discrimination of the muonic and electromagnetic components. We are interested in the discrimination of these two components using simulations. To do that, we are working with OfflineTrunk (the official software of the Collaboration). Our work is focused on the development of some modules for analysis and study of the signal from AugerPrime.

Transfer Credit Assessment for B.C. College Transfer Students Admitted to the University of British Columbia in the 1997/98 Session.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reh-Bosch, Susan; Atkins, Lorraine

This report assesses the transfer credit process for British Columbia (BC) college transfer applicants to the University of British Columbia (UBC). Results indicate that students are earning on average 49.7 credits from the BC college attended and are being granted an average of 42.2 credits when transferring to UBC. This translated into 84.9% of…

The Impact of "Virtualization" on Independent Study Course Completion Rates: The British Columbia Open University Experiment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Giguere, Louis

2009-01-01

In 1997 the British Columbia Open University (BCOU) adopted a virtualization strategy based primarily on twinning off-line independent study distance education courses (textbook-based with study guide and telephone and e-mail tutor support) with alternate online versions (textbook-based with integrated conferencing and communications provided…

Preschools for Science: The Child Study Centre at the University of British Columbia, 1960-1997

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, Penney; Gleason, Mona; Petrina, Stephen

2012-01-01

The development of the Child Study Centre (CSC) at University of British Columbia (UBC) provides a unique perspective on the complex and often contradictory relationship between child study and preschool education in postwar Canada. In this article, the authors detail the development and eventual closure of the CSC at UBC, focusing on the uneasy…

NASA Names Premier X-Ray Observatory and Schedules Launch

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1998-12-01

NASA's Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility has been renamed the Chandra X-ray Observatory in honor of the late Indian-American Nobel laureate, Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar. The telescope is scheduled to be launched no earlier than April 8, 1999 aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia mission STS-93, commanded by astronaut Eileen Collins. Chandrasekhar, known to the world as Chandra, which means "moon" or "luminous" in Sanskrit, was a popular entry in a recent NASA contest to name the spacecraft. The contest drew more than six thousand entries from fifty states and sixty-one countries. The co-winners were a tenth grade student in Laclede, Idaho, and a high school teacher in Camarillo, CA. The Chandra X-ray Observatory Center (CXC), operated by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, will control science and flight operations of the Chandra X-ray Observatory for NASA from Cambridge, Mass. "Chandra is a highly appropriate name," said Harvey Tananbaum, Director of the CXC. "Throughout his life Chandra worked tirelessly and with great precision to further our understanding of the universe. These same qualities characterize the many individuals who have devoted much of their careers to building this premier X-ray observatory." "Chandra probably thought longer and deeper about our universe than anyone since Einstein," said Martin Rees, Great Britain's Astronomer Royal. "Chandrasekhar made fundamental contributions to the theory of black holes and other phenomena that the Chandra X-ray Observatory will study. His life and work exemplify the excellence that we can hope to achieve with this great observatory," said NASA Administrator Dan Goldin. Widely regarded as one of the foremost astrophysicists of the 20th century, Chandrasekhar won the Nobel Prize in 1983 for his theoretical studies of physical processes important to the structure and evolution of stars. He and his wife immigrated from India to the U.S. in 1935. Chandrasekhar served on the faculty of the University of

Columbia University Public Outreach: Looking Beyond the Bright Lights in the Big City

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ash, Summer; Agueros, Marcel A.

2015-01-01

Columbia University astronomers have been inviting the public to come and share in our love of the skies for several decades now, but only within the last ten years has this program become a sustained tool for public outreach and professional development. Columbia's Public Outreach engages with multiple audiences, from the general public to teachers to students of all ages, year-round. In the last three years alone, we have interacted with approximately 7500 people via school visits, teacher-training events, and our public lecture and stargazing series. Our outreach efforts are unique in that they are staffed entirely by graduate students and undergraduate majors who volunteer their time, and coordinated by a dedicated science-trained staff member in the department. Our program is particularly suited to be a vehicle for graduate-student training in science communication and public speaking. We describe the various components of our program and provide an analysis of the populations reached.

University of Victoria Genome British Columbia Proteomics Centre Partners with CPTAC | Office of Cancer Clinical Proteomics Research

Cancer.gov

University of Victoria Genome British Columbia Proteomics Centre, a leader in proteomic technology development, has partnered with the U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI) to make targeted proteomic assays accessible to the community through NCI’s CPTAC Assay Portal (https://assays.cancer.gov).

Combining Forces: Fostering Sustainability Collaboration between the City of Vancouver and the University of British Columbia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Munro, Alison; Marcus, Jean; Dolling, Katie; Robinson, John; Wahl, Jennifer

2016-01-01

Purpose: This paper describes the sustainability partnership between the City of Vancouver and the University of British Columbia (UBC) and, in particular, the co-curricular Greenest City Scholars graduate student internship program, which has been developed by the two organizations. Through the program, UBC graduate students work on projects at…

Provincial Coordination and Inter-Institutional Collaboration in British Columbia's College, University College and Institute System. Monograph Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gaber, Devron

This document addresses a study that aimed to better understand the historical development of British Columbia community college, university college, and institute system with special attention given to recent changes in inter-institutional collaboration in relation to provincial coordination. The study also addresses centralization and…

Evaluating the Effectiveness of a Senior Mentor Program: The University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoffman, Kimberly G.; Gray, Peggy; Hosokawa, Michael C.; Zweig, Steven C.

2006-01-01

At the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine, we developed a voluntary senior-mentor program, the Senior Teacher Educator Partnership (STEP), for first- and second-year medical students. Using qualitative research methods, we examined the impact of STEP on medical students' attitudes and then assessed the congruence of what is learned…

NASA's Great Observatories: Paper Model.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Washington, DC.

This educational brief discusses observatory stations built by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for looking at the universe. This activity for grades 5-12 has students build paper models of the observatories and study their history, features, and functions. Templates for the observatories are included. (MVL)

The Dynamics of Mission and Market: Debates over Co-Education at Columbia University in 1889 and 1983.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walton, Andrea

2002-01-01

Discusses coeducation efforts at prestigious U.S. higher education institutions in the 1880s, specifically Columbia University and Barnard College (New York City). Concludes that narrative concerning women at these institutions includes the perspective that women were institution builders despite limited notions about female access and…

Mrs. Chandrasekhar poses with model of the Chandra X-ray Observatory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

Mrs. Lalitha Chandrasekhar, wife of the late Indian-American Nobel Laureate Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, poses with a model of the Chandra X-ray Observatory in the TRW Media Hospitality Tent at the NASA Press Site at KSC. The name 'Chandra,' a shortened version of Chandrasekhar's name which he preferred among friends and colleagues, was chosen in a contest to rename the telescope. 'Chandra' also means 'Moon' or 'luminous' in Sanskrit. The observatory is scheduled to be launched aboard Columbia on Space Shuttle mission STS-93.

Transfer Credits and Transfer Students at the University Colleges of British Columbia: A Study of the Baccalaureate Graduates of 1998-2001

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Church, Roderick

2005-01-01

This report examines transfer credits and transfer students among more than 5,000 baccalaureate graduates at the five university colleges of British Columbia in the calendar years 1998 through 2001. It is intended to complement the reports that BCCAT has commissioned from the universities on how the college-to-university transfer system works in…

Workers in the VPF observe the lower end of the IUS to be mated to the Chandra X-ray Observatory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

Workers in the Vertical Processing Facility observe the lower end of the Inertial Upper Stage (IUS) that will be mated with the Chandra X-ray Observatory (out of sight above it). After the two components are mated, they will undergo testing to validate the IUS/Chandra connections and to check the orbiter avionics interfaces. Following that, an end-to-end test (ETE) will be conducted to verify the communications path to Chandra, commanding it as if it were in space. With the world's most powerful X-ray telescope, Chandra will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of our universe. Chandra is scheduled for launch July 22 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, on mission STS-93.

Testing the stand-alone microbeam at Columbia University.

PubMed

Garty, G; Ross, G J; Bigelow, A W; Randers-Pehrson, G; Brenner, D J

2006-01-01

The stand-alone microbeam at Columbia University presents a novel approach to biological microbeam irradiation studies. Foregoing a conventional accelerator as a source of energetic ions, a small, high-specific-activity, alpha emitter is used. Alpha particles emitted from this source are focused using a compound magnetic lens consisting of 24 permanent magnets arranged in two quadrupole triplets. Using a 'home made' 6.5 mCi polonium source, a 1 alpha particle s(-1), 10 microm diameter microbeam can, in principle, be realised. As the alpha source energy is constant, once the microbeam has been set up, no further adjustments are necessary apart from a periodic replacement of the source. The use of permanent magnets eliminates the need for bulky power supplies and cooling systems required by other types of ion lenses and greatly simplifies operation. It also makes the microbeam simple and cheap enough to be realised in any large lab. The Microbeam design as well as first tests of its performance, using an accelerator-based beam are presented here.

Local Observations, Global Connections: An Educational Program Using Ocean Networks Canada's Community-Based Observatories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pelz, M.; Hoeberechts, M.; Ewing, N.; Davidson, E.; Riddell, D. J.

2014-12-01

Schools on Canada's west coast and in the Canadian Arctic are participating in the pilot year of a novel educational program based on analyzing, understanding and sharing ocean data collected by cabled observatories. The core of the program is "local observations, global connections." First, students develop an understanding of ocean conditions at their doorstep through the analysis of community-based observatory data. Then, they connect that knowledge with the health of the global ocean by engaging with students at other schools participating in the educational program and through supplemental educational resources. Ocean Networks Canada (ONC), an initiative of the University of Victoria, operates cabled ocean observatories which supply continuous power and Internet connectivity to a broad suite of subsea instruments from the coast to the deep sea. This Internet connectivity permits researchers, students and members of the public to download freely available data on their computers anywhere around the globe, in near real-time. In addition to the large NEPTUNE and VENUS cabled observatories off the coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, ONC has been installing smaller, community-based cabled observatories. Currently two are installed: one in Cambridge Bay, Nunavut and one at Brentwood College School, on Mill Bay in Saanich Inlet, BC. Several more community-based observatories are scheduled for installation within the next year. The observatories support a variety of subsea instruments, such as a video camera, hydrophone and water quality monitor and shore-based equipment including a weather station and a video camera. Schools in communities hosting an observatory are invited to participate in the program, alongside schools located in other coastal and inland communities. Students and teachers access educational material and data through a web portal, and use video conferencing and social media tools to communicate their findings. A series of lesson plans

History of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Columbia University: A Century at the Vanguard of Clinical Care, Education, and Innovation.

PubMed

Argenziano, Michael; Smith, Craig R; Spotnitz, Henry M; Steinglass, Kenneth M; Bacha, Emile

2016-01-01

The Columbia University Cardiothoracic Surgery Program dates back to the earliest days of the specialty itself, when the first pioneers ventured into the chest, and eventually the heart, to treat diseases previously believed to be beyond the reach of medicine. This spirit of innovation, creativity, and vision has grown over the ensuing century and has driven the development of advances that have defined the specialty and saved countless lives. From novel techniques for the repair of complex congenital cardiac defects and acquired cardiovascular diseases, to comprehensive management of lung and esophageal maladies, and to the marvel of minimally invasive and percutaneous interventions, the march of progress has never been stronger, more dramatic, or more consequential that it is at Columbia today. Fueled by people who -- as descendants of those early pioneers -- have been raised in the "Columbia culture," the commitment to innovation and education has never been greater. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Out of the Kitchen: The Transformation of Teachers College, Columbia University, 1913-1933. ASHE 1988 Annual Meeting Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, Salley J.

A portion of American history (1880-1930) in which institutional sex discrimination was strong is discussed with focus on Teachers College, Columbia University, which became a major center for training teachers and school administrators. Though it became known as the world's foremost education institution, its history reflects the…

NASA Announces Contest to Name X-Ray Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1998-04-01

NASA is searching for a new name for the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF), currently scheduled for launch Dec. 3, 1998, from the Space Shuttle Columbia. AXAF is the third of NASA's Great Observatories, after the Hubble Space Telescope and the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory. Once in orbit around Earth, it will explore hot, turbulent regions in the universe where X-rays are produced. Dr. Alan Bunner, director of NASA's Structure and Evolution of the universe science program, will announce April 18 at the National Science Teacher's Association meeting in Las Vegas, NV, the start of a contest, open to people worldwide, to find a new name for the observatory. Entries should contain the name of a person (not living), place, or thing from history, mythology, or fiction. Contestants should describe in a few sentences why this choice would be a good name for AXAF. The name must not have been used before on space missions by NASA or other organizations or countries. The grand prize will be a trip to NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, FL, to see the launch of the satellite aboard the Space Shuttle. Ten runner-up prizes will be awarded and all entrants will receive an AXAF poster. The grand prize is sponsored by TRW Inc., AXAF's prime contractor. The AXAF Science Center in Cambridge, MA, will run the contest for NASA. NASA will announce the final selection of the winning name later this year. Entries also can be mailed to: AXAF Contest, AXAF Science Center, Office of Education and Public Outreach, 60 Garden Street, MS 83, Cambridge, MA 02138. Mailed entries must be postmarked no later than June 30, 1998. All entries must state a name for the mission, along with the reason the name would make a good choice. The observatory, now in the final stages of assembly and testing at TRW's facility in Redondo Beach, CA, is more than 45 feet long and weighs 10,500 pounds. AXAF is the largest and most powerful X-ray observatory ever constructed, and its images will be

Orbiting Carbon Observatory Briefing

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-01-29

Anna Michalak, an Orbiting Carbon Observatory science team member from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, speaks during a media briefing to discuss the upcoming Orbiting Carbon Observatory mission, the first NASA spacecraft dedicated to studying carbon dioxide, Thursday, Jan. 29, 2009, at NASA Headquarters in Washington. Photo Credit: (NASA/Paul E. Alers)

Keele Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Theodorus van Loon, Jacco; Albinson, James; Bagnall, Alan; Bryant, Lian; Caisley, Dave; Doody, Stephen; Johnson, Ian; Klimczak, Paul; Maddison, Ron; Robinson, StJohn; Stretch, Matthew; Webb, John

2015-08-01

Keele Observatory was founded by Dr. Ron Maddison in 1962, on the hill-top campus of Keele University in central England, hosting the 1876 Grubb 31cm refractor from Oxford Observatory. It since acquired a 61cm research reflector, a 15cm Halpha solar telescope and a range of other telescopes. Run by a group of volunteering engineers and students under directorship of a Keele astrophysicist, it is used for public outreach as well as research. About 4,000 people visit the observatory every year, including a large number of children. We present the facility, its history - including involvement in the 1919 Eddington solar eclipse expedition which proved Albert Einstein's theory of general relativity - and its ambitions to erect a radio telescope on its site.

Building a System of Autonomous Institutions: Coordination and Collaboration in British Columbia's Community College, University College, and Institute System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gaber, Devron A.

2003-01-01

Explores the historical development of British Columbia's community college, university college, and institute system with the focus on voluntary collaboration in relation to provincial coordination and on swings between centralization and decentralization. Study examines development in BC's post secondary system in light of broader global…

Chandra's Cosmos: Dark Matter, Black Holes, and Other Wonders Revealed by NASA's Premier X-ray Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tucker, Wallace H.

2017-03-01

On July 23, 1999, the Chandra X-Ray Observatory, the most powerful X-ray telescope ever built, was launched aboard the space shuttle Columbia. Since then, Chandra has given us a view of the universe that is largely hidden from telescopes sensitive only to visible light. In Chandra's Cosmos, the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory's Chandra science spokesperson Wallace H. Tucker uses a series of short, connected stories to describe the telescope's exploration of the hot, high-energy face of the universe. The book is organized in three parts: "The Big," covering the cosmic web, dark energy, dark matter, and massive clusters of galaxies; "The Bad," exploring neutron stars, stellar black holes, and supermassive black holes; and "The Beautiful," discussing stars, exoplanets, and life. Chandra has imaged the spectacular, glowing remains of exploded stars and taken spectra showing the dispersal of their elements. Chandra has observed the region around the supermassive black hole in the center of our Milky Way and traced the separation of dark matter from normal matter in the collision of galaxies, contributing to both dark matter and dark energy studies. Tucker explores the implications of these observations in an entertaining, informative narrative aimed at space buffs and general readers alike.

NASA'S Great Observatories

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

Why are space observatories important? The answer concerns twinkling stars in the night sky. To reach telescopes on Earth, light from distant objects has to penetrate Earth's atmosphere. Although the sky may look clear, the gases that make up our atmosphere cause problems for astronomers. These gases absorb the majority of radiation emanating from celestial bodies so that it never reaches the astronomer's telescope. Radiation that does make it to the surface is distorted by pockets of warm and cool air, causing the twinkling effect. In spite of advanced computer enhancement, the images finally seen by astronomers are incomplete. NASA, in conjunction with other countries' space agencies, commercial companies, and the international community, has built observatories such as the Hubble Space Telescope, the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory, and the Chandra X-ray Observatory to find the answers to numerous questions about the universe. With the capabilities the Space Shuttle provides, scientist now have the means for deploying these observatories from the Shuttle's cargo bay directly into orbit.

The Coronal Solar Magnetism Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tomczyk, S.; Landi, E.; Zhang, J.; Lin, H.; DeLuca, E. E.

2015-12-01

Measurements of coronal and chromospheric magnetic fields are arguably the most important observables required for advances in our understanding of the processes responsible for coronal heating, coronal dynamics and the generation of space weather that affects communications, GPS systems, space flight, and power transmission. The Coronal Solar Magnetism Observatory (COSMO) is a proposed ground-based suite of instruments designed for routine study of coronal and chromospheric magnetic fields and their environment, and to understand the formation of coronal mass ejections (CME) and their relation to other forms of solar activity. This new facility will be operated by the High Altitude Observatory of the National Center for Atmospheric Research (HAO/NCAR) with partners at the University of Michigan, the University of Hawaii and George Mason University in support of the solar and heliospheric community. It will replace the current NCAR Mauna Loa Solar Observatory (http://mlso.hao.ucar.edu). COSMO will enhance the value of existing and new observatories on the ground and in space by providing unique and crucial observations of the global coronal and chromospheric magnetic field and its evolution. The design and current status of the COSMO will be reviewed.

The First Astronomical Observatory in Cluj-Napoca

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szenkovits, Ferenc

2008-09-01

One of the most important cities of Romania is Cluj-Napoca (Kolozsvár, Klausenburg). This is a traditional center of education, with many universities and high schools. From the second half of the 18th century the University of Cluj has its own Astronomical Observatory, serving for didactical activities and scientific researches. The famous astronomer Maximillian Hell was one of those Jesuits who put the base of this Astronomical Observatory. Our purpose is to offer a short history of the beginnings of this Astronomical Observatory.

Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1991-01-01

This photograph shows the Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory (GRO) being deployed by the Remote Manipulator System (RMS) arm aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis during the STS-37 mission in April 1991. The GRO reentered Earth atmosphere and ended its successful mission in June 2000. For nearly 9 years, the GRO Burst and Transient Source Experiment (BATSE), designed and built by the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), kept an unblinking watch on the universe to alert scientists to the invisible, mysterious gamma-ray bursts that had puzzled them for decades. By studying gamma-rays from objects like black holes, pulsars, quasars, neutron stars, and other exotic objects, scientists could discover clues to the birth, evolution, and death of stars, galaxies, and the universe. The gamma-ray instrument was one of four major science instruments aboard the Compton. It consisted of eight detectors, or modules, located at each corner of the rectangular satellite to simultaneously scan the entire universe for bursts of gamma-rays ranging in duration from fractions of a second to minutes. In January 1999, the instrument, via the Internet, cued a computer-controlled telescope at Las Alamos National Laboratory in Los Alamos, New Mexico, within 20 seconds of registering a burst. With this capability, the gamma-ray experiment came to serve as a gamma-ray burst alert for the Hubble Space Telescope, the Chandra X-Ray Observatory, and major gound-based observatories around the world. Thirty-seven universities, observatories, and NASA centers in 19 states, and 11 more institutions in Europe and Russia, participated in the BATSE science program.

Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1991-01-01

This photograph shows the Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory being released from the Remote Manipulator System (RMS) arm aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis during the STS-35 mission in April 1991. The GRO reentered the Earth's atmosphere and ended its successful mission in June 2000. For nearly 9 years, GRO's Burst and Transient Source Experiment (BATSE), designed and built by the Marshall Space Flight Center, kept an unblinking watch on the universe to alert scientist to the invisible, mysterious gamma-ray bursts that had puzzled them for decades. By studying gamma-rays from objects like black holes, pulsars, quasars, neutron stars, and other exotic objects, scientists could discover clues to the birth, evolution, and death of star, galaxies, and the universe. The gamma-ray instrument was one of four major science instruments aboard the Compton. It consisted of eight detectors, or modules, located at each corner of the rectangular satellite to simultaneously scan the entire universe for bursts of gamma-rays ranging in duration from fractions of a second to minutes. In January 1999, the instrument, via the Internet, cued a computer-controlled telescope at Las Alamos National Laboratory in Los Alamos, New Mexico, within 20 seconds of registering a burst. With this capability, the gamma-ray experiment came to serve as a gamma-ray burst alert for the Hubble Space Telescope, the Chandra X-Ray Observatory, and major gound-based observatories around the world. Thirty-seven universities, observatories, and NASA centers in 19 states, and 11 more institutions in Europe and Russia, participated in BATSE's science program.

Profile of BC College Transfer Students Admitted to the University of British Columbia: 2003/04 to 2007/08

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lambert-Maberly, Ashley

2009-01-01

This report examines the demographics, performance, and success of students who were admitted to the University of British Columbia's Vancouver campus on the basis of a minimum 24 transfer credits earned at a BC college during the five year period comprising the 2003/04 through 2007/08 academic years. The report mines familiar ground--similar…

An Overview of the Performance and Scientific Results From the Chandra X-Ray Observatory (CXO)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weisskopf, M. C.; Brinkman, B.; Canizares, C.; Garmine, G.; Murray, S.; VanSpeybroeck, L. P.; Six, N. Frank (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The Chandra X-Ray Observatory (CXO), the x-ray component of NASA's Great Observatories, was launched on 1999, July 23 by the Space Shuttle Columbia. After satellite systems activation, the first x-rays focused by the telescope were observed on 1999, August 12. Beginning with the initial observation it was clear that the telescope had survived the launch environment and was operating as expected. Despite an initial surprise due to the discovery that the telescope was far more efficient for concentrating CCD-damaging low-energy protons than had been anticipated, the observatory is performing well and is returning superb scientific data. Together with other space observatories, most notably XMM-Newton, it is clear that we have entered a new era of discovery in high-energy astrophysics.

The Columbia University proton-induced soft x-ray microbeam.

PubMed

Harken, Andrew D; Randers-Pehrson, Gerhard; Johnson, Gary W; Brenner, David J

2011-09-15

A soft x-ray microbeam using proton-induced x-ray emission (PIXE) of characteristic titanium (K(α) 4.5 keV) as the x-ray source has been developed at the Radiological Research Accelerator Facility (RARAF) at Columbia University. The proton beam is focused to a 120 μm × 50 μm spot on the titanium target using an electrostatic quadrupole quadruplet previously used for the charged particle microbeam studies at RARAF. The proton induced x-rays from this spot project a 50 μm round x-ray generation spot into the vertical direction. The x-rays are focused to a spot size of 5 μm in diameter using a Fresnel zone plate. The x-rays have an attenuation length of (1/e length of ~145 μm) allowing more consistent dose delivery across the depth of a single cell layer and penetration into tissue samples than previous ultra soft x-ray systems. The irradiation end station is based on our previous design to allow quick comparison to charged particle experiments and for mixed irradiation experiments.

The University of British Columbia model of interprofessional education.

PubMed

Charles, Grant; Bainbridge, Lesley; Gilbert, John

2010-01-01

The College of Health Disciplines, at the University of British Columbia (UBC) has a long history of developing interprofessional learning opportunities for students and practitioners. Historically, many of the courses and programmes were developed because they intuitively made sense or because certain streams of funding were available at particular times. While each of them fit generally within our understanding of interprofessional education in the health and human service education programs, they were not systematically developed within an educational or theoretical framework. This paper discusses the model we have subsequently developed at the College for conceptualizing the various types of interprofessional experiences offered at UBC. It has been developed so that we can offer the broadest range of courses and most effective learning experiences for our students. Our model is based on the premise that there are optimal learning times for health and human services students (and practitioners) depending upon their stage of development as professionals in their respective disciplines and their readiness to learn and develop new perspectives on professional interaction.

The Farid & Moussa Raphael Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hajjar, R.

2017-06-01

The Farid & Moussa Raphael Observatory (FMRO) at Notre Dame University Louaize (NDU) is a teaching, research, and outreach facility located at the main campus of the university. It located very close to the Lebanese coast, in an urbanized area. It features a 60-cm Planewave CDK telescope, and instruments that allow for photometric and spetroscopic studies. The observatory currently has one thinned, back-illuminated CCD camera, used as the main imager along with Johnson-Cousin and Sloan photometric filters. It also features two spectrographs, one of which is a fiber fed echelle spectrograph. These are used with a dedicated CCD. The observatory has served for student projects, and summer schools for advanced undergraduate and graduate students. It is also made available for use by the regional and international community. The control system is currently being configured for remote observations. A number of long-term research projects are also being launched at the observatory.

Aboriginal Business Capacity Building Programs in the Central Interior of British Columbia: A Collaborative Project between the University and Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kunkel, Titi; Schorcht, Blanca; Brazzoni, Randall

2011-01-01

Aboriginal communities in Canada are typically marginalized, have very low employment participation rates, and have limited economic infrastructure. The downturn in global economies further marginalized these communities. The University of Northern British Columbia's (UNBC) Continuing Studies department piloted an Aboriginal and Small Business…

Capacity and Needs Assessments: Youth Activities in the District of Columbia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chaplin, Duncan

This report describes capacity and needs assessments of youth services in the District of Columbia. The assessments were conducted by the Urban Institute, Georgetown University, and the University of the District of Columbia in the summer of 1999. D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams requested these assessments to help guide the allocation of additional…

Education and Public Outreach Programs at Columbus State University's Mead Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cruzen, S.; Rutland, C.; Carr, D.; Seckinger, M.

2003-12-01

Columbus State University (CSU) has made a substantial commitment to community education in astronomy and space science. Through the programs of the Mead Observatory at CSU's Coca-Cola Space Science Center, students, staff and faculty have been providing public outreach programs in astronomy for more than seven years. Recently, a generous grant from a private foundation has facilitated an astounding growth in the observatory's astronomy outreach activities. The grant made possible the purchase of a van, a portable planetarium, and additional telescope and computer equipment. It also funded a two-year scholarship that has supported a pair of CSU's science education majors who have staffed the program and made it a success. NASA, through the Georgia Space Grant Consortium, has provided additional funding for scholarships for 2003-2004. Prior to receiving these funds, the observatory program consisted of monthly open houses, occasional public observing nights at remote locations and approximately 6 to 8 school visits per year. Annually, these programs served approximately 3500 people. Since beginning the new phase of this program in October of 2001, the number of people served has soared to more than 23,000 in only 24 months. Over 60 schools have been visited, increasing our previous annual rate by nearly five times. Additional groups served include boys and girls scouting groups, state parks and other community organizations. School presentations have been designed to assist K-12 teachers in meeting science education standards. More than 200 teachers were asked to assess the program, and their responses were quite positive. More information about the program is available at our website (http://www.ccssc.org).

History of Chandra X-Ray Observatory

NASA Image and Video Library

1997-03-16

This photo shows the High Resolution Camera (HRC) for the Chandra X-Ray Observatory (CXO), formerly Advanced X-Ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF), being integrated with the High Resolution Mirror Assembly (HRMA) in Marshall Space Flight Center's (MSFC's) 24-foot Vacuum Chamber at the X-Ray Calibration Facility (XRCF). The AXAF was renamed CXO in 1999. The CXO is the most sophisticated and the world's most poweful x-ray telescope ever built. It observes x-rays from high-energy regions of the universe, such as hot gas in the remnants of exploded stars. The HRC is one of the two instruments used at the focus of CXO, where it will detect x-rays reflected from an assembly of eight mirrors. The unique capabilities of the HRC stem from the close match of its imaging capability to the focusing of the mirrors. When used with CXO mirrors, the HRC makes images that reveal detail as small as one-half an arc second. This is equivalent to the ability to read a newspaper at a distance of 1 kilometer. MSFC's XRCF is the world's largest, most advanced laboratory for simulating x-ray emissions from distant celestial objects. It produces a space-like environment in which components relatedto x-ray telescope imaging are tested and the quality of their performances in space is predicted. TRW, Inc. was the prime contractor for the development of the CXO and NASA's MSFC was responsible for its project management. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory controls science and flight operations of the CXO for NASA from Cambridge, Massachusetts. The CXO was launched July 22, 1999 aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-93).

History of Chandra X-Ray Observatory

NASA Image and Video Library

1997-03-16

This photo shows the High Resolution Camera (HRC) for the Chandra X-Ray Observatory (CXO), formerly Advanced X-Ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF), being integrated with the High Resolution Mirror Assembly (HRMA) in Marshall Space Flight Center's (MSFC's) 24-foot Vacuum Chamber at the X-Ray Calibration Facility (XRCF). The AXAF was renamed CXO in 1999. The CXO is the most sophisticated and the world's most powerful x-ray telescope ever built. It observes x-rays from high-energy regions of the universe, such as hot gas in the remnants of exploded stars. The HRC is one of the two instruments used at the focus of CXO, where it will detect x-rays reflected from an assembly of eight mirrors. The unique capabilities of the HRC stem from the close match of its imaging capability to the focusing of the mirrors. When used with CXO mirrors, the HRC makes images that reveal detail as small as one-half an arc second. This is equivalent to the ability to read a newspaper at a distance of 1 kilometer. MSFC's XRCF is the world's largest, most advanced laboratory for simulating x-ray emissions from distant celestial objects. It produces a space-like environment in which components related to x-ray telescope imaging are tested and the quality of their performances in space is predicted. TRW, Inc. was the prime contractor for the development of the CXO and NASA's MSFC was responsible for its project management. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory controls science and flight operations of the CXO for NASA from Cambridge, Massachusetts. The CXO was launched July 22, 1999 aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-93).

On Overview of the Performance and Scientific Results from the Chandra X-Ray Observatory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weisskopf, M. C.; Brinkman, B.; Canizares, C.; Garmire, G.; Murray, S.; VanSpeybroeck, L. P.

2002-01-01

The Chandra X-Ray Observatory (CXO) was launched on 1999 July 23 by the Columbia Space Shuttle. The first X-rays focused by the telescope were seen on 1999 August 12 after the satellite systems were activated. Beginning with the first observation, it was clear that the telescope was not damaged by the launch environment and was operating as planned. After the early surprise due to the discovery that the telescope concentrated CCD-damaging low-energy protons far more efficiently than had been expected, the observatory is performing optimally and is returning excellent scientific data. Together with other space observatories, especially XMM-Newton, it is obvious that we have entered a new era of discovery in high-energy astrophysics.

Telescopes in Education: the Little Thompson Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schweitzer, A. E.; Melsheimer, T. T.

2002-12-01

The Little Thompson Observatory is the first community-built observatory that is part of a high school and accessible to other schools remotely, via the Internet. This observatory is the second member of the Telescopes in Education (TIE) project. Construction of the building was done completely by volunteer labor, and first light occurred in May 1999. The observatory is located on the grounds of Berthoud High School in northern Colorado. We are grateful to have received an IDEAS grant to provide teacher training workshops for K-12 schools to make use of the observatory, including remote observing from classrooms. Students connect to the observatory over the Internet, and then receive the images back on their local computers. A committee of teachers and administrators from the Thompson School District have selected these workshops to count towards Incentive Credits (movement on the salary schedule) because the course meets the criteria: "Learning must be directly transferable to the classroom with students and relate to standards, assessment and/or technology." In addition, this past summer our program became an accredited course by Colorado State University. Our next project is to partner with the Discovery Center Science Museum and Colorado State University to provide additional teacher education programs. Our training materials have also been shared with TIE/Mt. Wilson, NASA Goddard and Howard University, which are working together to develop a similar teacher education program.

Telescopes in Education: the Little Thompson Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schweitzer, A. E.; Melsheimer, T. T.

2003-05-01

The Little Thompson Observatory is the first community-built observatory that is part of a high school and accessible to other schools remotely, via the Internet. This observatory is the second member of the Telescopes in Education (TIE) project. Construction of the building was done completely by volunteer labor, and first light occurred in May 1999. The observatory is located on the grounds of Berthoud High School in northern Colorado. We are grateful to have received an IDEAS grant to provide teacher training workshops for K-12 schools to make use of the observatory, including remote observing from classrooms. Students connect to the observatory over the Internet, and then receive the images back on their local computers. A committee of teachers and administrators from the Thompson School District have selected these workshops to count towards Incentive Credits (movement on the salary schedule) because the course meets the criteria: "Learning must be directly transferable to the classroom with students and relate to standards, assessment and/or technology." In addition, this past summer our program became an accredited course by Colorado State University. Our next project is to partner with the Discovery Center Science Museum and Colorado State University to provide additional teacher education programs. Our training materials have also been shared with TIE/Mt. Wilson, NASA Goddard and Howard University, which are working together to develop a similar teacher education program.

The STS-93 crew takes part in payload familiarization of the Chandra X-ray Observatory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

A TRW technician joins STS-93 Commander Eileen Collins (center) and Pilot Jeffrey S. Ashby (right) as they observe the Chandra X- ray Observatory on its work stand inside the Vertical Processing Facility. Other members of the STS-93 crew who are at KSC for payload familiarization are Mission Specialists Catherine G. Coleman and Michel Tognini of France, who represents the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES). Collins is the first woman to serve as a shuttle mission commander. She was the first woman pilot of a Space Shuttle, on mission STS-63, and also served as pilot on mission STS-84. The fifth member of the crew is Mission Specialist Steven A. Hawley. Chandra is scheduled for launch July 9 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, on mission STS-93 . Formerly called the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility, Chandra comprises three major elements: the spacecraft, the science instrument module (SIM), and the world's most powerful X-ray telescope. Chandra will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of our universe.

Columbia University's Informatics for Diabetes Education and Telemedicine (IDEATel) Project

PubMed Central

Shea, Steven; Starren, Justin; Weinstock, Ruth S.; Knudson, Paul E.; Teresi, Jeanne; Holmes, Douglas; Palmas, Walter; Field, Lesley; Goland, Robin; Tuck, Catherine; Hripcsak, George; Capps, Linnea; Liss, David

2002-01-01

The Columbia University Informatics for Diabetes Education and Telemedicine (IDEATel) Project is a four-year demonstration project funded by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services with the overall goals of evaluating the feasibility, acceptability, effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness of telemedicine in the management of older patients with diabetes. The study is designed as a randomized controlled trial and is being conducted by a state-wide consortium in New York. Eligibility requires that participants have diabetes, are Medicare beneficiaries, and reside in federally designated medically underserved areas. A total of 1,500 participants will be randomized, half in New York City and half in other areas of the state. Intervention participants receive a home telemedicine unit that provides synchronous videoconferencing with a project-based nurse, electronic transmission of home fingerstick glucose and blood pressure data, and Web access to a project Web site. End points include glycosylated hemoglobin, blood pressure, and lipid levels; patient satisfaction; health care service utilization; and costs. The project is intended to provide data to help inform regulatory and reimbursement policies for electronically delivered health care services. PMID:11751803

Columbia University's Informatics for Diabetes Education and Telemedicine (IDEATel) Project

PubMed Central

Starren, Justin; Hripcsak, George; Sengupta, Soumitra; Abbruscato, C.R.; Knudson, Paul E.; Weinstock, Ruth S.; Shea, Steven

2002-01-01

The Columbia University Informatics for Diabetes Education and Telemedicine IDEATel) project is a four-year demonstration project funded by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services with the overall goal of evaluating the feasibility, acceptability, effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness of telemedicine. The focal point of the intervention is the home telemedicine unit (HTU), which provides four functions: synchronous videoconferencing over standard telephone lines, electronic transmission for fingerstick glucose and blood pressure readings, secure Web-based messaging and clinical data review, and access to Web-based educational materials. The HTU must be usable by elderly patients with no prior computer experience. Providing these functions through the HTU requires tight integration of six components: the HTU itself, case management software, a clinical information system, Web-based educational material, data security, and networking and telecommunications. These six components were integrated through a variety of interfaces, providing a system that works well for patients and providers. With more than 400 HTUs installed, IDEATel has demonstrated the feasibility of large-scale home telemedicine. PMID:11751801

Daytime Utilization of a University Observatory for Laboratory Instruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mattox, J. R.

2006-08-01

Scheduling convenience provides a strong incentive to fully explore effective utilization of educational observatories during daylight hours. I present two compelling daytime student activities that I developed at the Observatory at Fayetteville State University. My Introductory Astronomy Laboratory classes pursue these as separate investigations. My Physical Science classes complete both in a single lab period of 110 minutes duration. Both of these activities are also appropriate for High School student investigators, and could be used as demonstrations for younger students. Daylight Observation of Venus. With a clear sky, and when its elongation exceeds ~20˚, Venus is readily apparent in the daytime sky once a telescope is pointed at it. This is accomplished either with a digital pointing system, or with setting circles on a polar-aligned mount using the Sun to initialize the RA circle. Using the telescope pointing as a reference, it is also possible under optimal circumstances for students to see Venus in the daytime sky with naked eyes. Students are asked to write about the circumstances that made it possible to see Venus. Educational utilization of daytime observations of the Moon, Jupiter, Saturn, and the brightest stars are also discussed. Using a CCD Camera to Determine the Temperature of a Sunspot. After my students view the Sun with Eclipse Glasses and in projection using a 3-inch refractor, they analyze a CCD image of a sunspot (which they obtain if possible) to determine the ratio of its surface intensity relative to the normal solar surface. They then use the Stefan-Boltzmann law (usually with some coaching) to determine the sunspot temperature given the nominal surface temperature of the Sun. Appropriate safety precautions are presented given the hazards of magnified sunlight. Mitigation of dome seeing during daylight hours is discussed.

IYA Outreach Plans for Appalachian State University's Observatories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caton, Daniel B.; Pollock, J. T.; Saken, J. M.

2009-01-01

Appalachian State University will provide a variety of observing opportunities for the public during the International Year of Astronomy. These will be focused at both the campus GoTo Telescope Facility used by Introductory Astronomy students and the research facilities at our Dark Sky Observatory. The campus facility is composed of a rooftop deck with a roll-off roof housing fifteen Celestron C11 telescopes. During astronomy lab class meetings these telescopes are used either in situ or remotely by computer control from the adjacent classroom. For the IYA we will host the public for regular observing sessions at these telescopes. The research facility features a 32-inch DFM Engineering telescope with its dome attached to the Cline Visitor Center. The Visitor Center is still under construction and we anticipate its completion for a spring opening during IYA. The CVC will provide areas for educational outreach displays and a view of the telescope control room. Visitors will view celestial objects directly at the eyepiece. We are grateful for the support of the National Science Foundation, through grant number DUE-0536287, which provided instrumentation for the GoTO facility, and to J. Donald Cline for support of the Visitor Center.

110th Anniversary of the Engelhardt Astronomical Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nefedyev, Y.

2012-09-01

The Engelhardt Astronomical Observatory (EAO) was founded in September 21, 1901. The history of creation of the Engelhard Astronomical Observatory was begun in 1897 with transfer a complimentary to the Kazan University of the unique astronomical equipment of the private observatory in Dresden by known astronomer Vasily Pavlovichem Engelgardt. Having stopped astronomical activity owing to advanced years and illnesses Engelgardt has decided to offer all tools and library of the Astronomical observatory of the Kazan University. Vasily Pavlovich has put the first condition of the donation that his tools have been established as soon as possible and on them supervision are started. In 1898 the decree of Emperor had been allocated means and the ground for construction of the Astronomical observatory is allocated. There is the main historical telescope of the Engelhard Astronomical Observatory the 12-inch refractor which was constructed by English master Grubbom in 1875. The unique tool of the Engelhard Astronomical Observatory is unique in the world now a working telescope heliometer. It's one of the first heliometers, left workshops Repsolda. It has been made in 1874 and established in Engelgardt observatory in 1908 in especially for him the constructed round pavilion in diameter of 3.6 m. Today the Engelhard Astronomical Observatory is the only thing scientifically - educational and cultural - the cognitive astronomical center, located on territory from Moscow up to the most east border of Russia. Currently, the observatory is preparing to enter the protected UNESCO World Heritage List.

Photometric calibration of T40 telescope system at Ankara University Kreiken Observatory (AUKR)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karakuş, O.; Ekmekçi, F.

2017-07-01

We aim to present the photometric calibration of T40 telescope system at Ankara University Kreiken Observatory(AUKR) in the Johnson BVRI bands system through CCD observations of selected Landolt stars on the clearest 11 nights. Ten more stars with a magnitude of V< 11 were also observed in order to check up on standard transformation coefficients. Using these coefficients, we present standard brightness and color magnitudes for these 10 selected stars. These standard brightness values of these 10 stars are also compared with the previously published ones. It is clearly seen that the calibration results are sufficiently reliable.

Historical Examples of Lobbying: The Case of Strasbourg Astronomical Observatories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heck, Andre

2012-08-01

Several astronomical observatories have been established in Strasbourg in very differing contexts. In the late 17th century, an observing post (scientifically sterile) was put on top of a tower, the Hospital Gate, essentially for the prestige of the city and the notoriety of the university. In the 19th century, the observatory built on the Académie hosting the French university was the first attempt to set up in the city a real observatory equipped with genuine instrumentation with the purpose of carrying out serious research, but the succession of political regimes in France and the continual bidding for moving the university to other locations, together with the faltering of later scholars, torpedoed any significant scientific usage of the place. After the 1870-1871 Franco-Prussian war, the German authorities set up a prestigious university campus with a whole range of institutes together with a modern observatory consisting of several buildings and hosting a flotilla of excellent instruments, including the then largest refractor of the country. This paper illustrates various types of lobbying used in the steps above while detailing, from archive documents largely unexploited so far, original research on the two first observatories.

Undergraduate Student Satisfaction and Achievement at the GetWET Observatory: A Fluid Learning Experience at Colorado State University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rathburn, Sara L.; Weinberg, Andrea E.

2011-01-01

The GetWET Observatory was developed as part of an overall course redesign of the Introductory Geology Laboratory at Colorado State University to improve student learning of key surface and groundwater concepts for nonmajors in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Consisting of six groundwater monitoring wells, the GetWET Observatory…

"Route of astronomical observatories'' project: classical observatories from the Renaissance to the rise of astrophysics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wolfschmidt, Gudrun

2015-08-01

Observatories offer a good possibility for serial transnational applications. A well-known example for a thematic programme is the Struve arc, already recognized as World Heritage.I will discuss what has been achieved and show examples, like the route of astronomical observatories or the transition from classical astronomy to modern astrophysics (La Plata, Hamburg, Nice, etc.), visible in the architecture, the choice of instruments, and the arrangement of the observatory buildings in an astronomy park. This corresponds to the main categories according to which the ``outstanding universal value'' (UNESCO criteria ii, iv and vi) of the observatories have been evaluated: historic, scientific, and aesthetic. This proposal is based on the criteria of a comparability of the observatories in terms of the urbanistic complex and the architecture, the scientific orientation, equipment of instruments, authenticity and integrity of the preserved state, as well as in terms of historic scientific relations and scientific contributions.Apart from these serial transnational applications one can also choose other groups like baroque or neo-classical observatories, solar physics observatories or a group of observatories equipped with the same kind of instruments and made by the same famous firm. I will also discuss why the implementation of the Astronomy and World Heritage Initiative is difficult and why there are problems to nominate observatories for election in the national Tentative Lists

An observatory control system for the University of Hawai'i 2.2m Telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McKay, Luke; Erickson, Christopher; Mukensnable, Donn; Stearman, Anthony; Straight, Brad

2016-07-01

The University of Hawai'i 2.2m telescope at Maunakea has operated since 1970, and has had several controls upgrades to date. The newest system will operate as a distributed hierarchy of GNU/Linux central server, networked single-board computers, microcontrollers, and a modular motion control processor for the main axes. Rather than just a telescope control system, this new effort is towards a cohesive, modular, and robust whole observatory control system, with design goals of fully robotic unattended operation, high reliability, and ease of maintenance and upgrade.

An astronomical observatory for Peru

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

del Mar, Juan Quintanilla; Sicardy, Bruno; Giraldo, Víctor Ayma; Callo, Víctor Raúl Aguilar

2011-06-01

Peru and France are to conclude an agreement to provide Peru with an astronomical observatory equipped with a 60-cm diameter telescope. The principal aims of this project are to establish and develop research and teaching in astronomy. Since 2004, a team of researchers from Paris Observatory has been working with the University of Cusco (UNSAAC) on the educational, technical and financial aspects of implementing this venture. During an international astronomy conference in Cusco in July 2009, the foundation stone of the future Peruvian Observatory was laid at the top of Pachatusan Mountain. UNSAAC, represented by its Rector, together with the town of Oropesa and the Cusco regional authority, undertook to make the sum of 300,000€ available to the project. An agreement between Paris Observatory and UNSAAC now enables Peruvian students to study astronomy through online teaching.

STS-109/Columbia/HST Pre-Launch Activities/Launch On Orbit-Landing-Crew Egress

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

The STS-109 Space Shuttle Mission begins with introduction of the seven crew members: Commander Scott D. Altman, pilot Duane G. Carey, payload commander John M. Grunsfeld, mission specialists: Nancy J. Currie, James H. Newman, Richard M. Linnehan, and Michael J. Massimino. Spacewalking NASA astronauts revive the Hubble Space Telescope's (HST) sightless infrared eyes, outfitting the observatory with an experimental refrigerator designed to resuscitate a comatose camera. During this video presentation John Grunsfeld and Rick Linnehan bolt the new cryogenic cooler inside HST and hung a huge radiator outside the observatory and replaces the telescope power switching station. In the video we can see how the shuttle robot arm operator, Nancy Currie, releases the 13-ton HST. Also, the landing of the Space Shuttle Columbia is presented.

AstroCom NYC: A Partnership Between Astronomers at CUNY, AMNH, and Columbia University

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paglione, Timothy; Ford, K. S.; Robbins, D.; Mac Low, M.; Agueros, M. A.

2014-01-01

AstroCom NYC is a new program designed to improve urban minority student access to opportunities in astrophysical research by greatly enhancing partnerships between research astronomers in New York City. The partners are minority serving institutions of the City University of New York, and the astrophysics research departments of the American Museum of Natural History and Columbia. AstroCom NYC provides centralized, personalized mentoring as well as financial and academic support, to CUNY undergraduates throughout their studies, plus the resources and opportunities to further CUNY faculty research with students. The goal is that students’ residency at AMNH helps them build a sense of belonging in the field, and inspires and prepares them for graduate study. AstroCom NYC prepares students for research with a rigorous Methods of Scientific Research course developed specifically to this purpose, a laptop, a research mentor, career mentor, involvement in Columbia outreach activities, scholarships and stipends, Metrocards, and regular assessment for maximum effectiveness. Stipends in part alleviate the burdens at home typical for CUNY students so they may concentrate on their academic success. AMNH serves as the central hub for our faculty and students, who are otherwise dispersed among all five boroughs of the City. With our first cohort we experienced the expected challenges from their diverse preparedness, but also far greater than anticipated challenges in scheduling, academic advisement, and molding their expectations. We review Year 1 operations and outcomes, as well as plans for Year 2, when our current students progress to be peer mentors.

1993-1994 Final technical report for establishing the SECME Model in the District of Columbia

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vickers, R.G.

1995-12-31

This is the final report for a program to establish the SECME Model in the District of Columbia. This program has seen the development of a partnership between the District of Columbia Public Schools, the University of the District of Columbia, the Department of Energy, and SECME. This partnership has demonstrated positive achievement in mathematics and science education and learning in students within the District of Columbia.

Project on Chinese Virtual Solar Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Gang-Hua

2004-09-01

With going deep into research of solar physics, development of observational instrument and accumulation of obervation data, it urges people to think such things: using data which is observed in different times, places, bands and history data to seek answers of a plenty science problems. In the meanwhile, researcher can easily search the data and analyze data. This is why the project of the virtual solar observatory gained active replies and operation from observatories, institutes and universities in the world. In this article, how we face to the development of the virtual solar observatory and our preliminary project on CVSO are discussed.

Awesome Universe: an exhibition with images that showcase celestial objects as seen by ESO's observatories and associated activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marin-Farrona, A. M.

2015-05-01

In September 2013, an ESO exhibition was shown in Santander: ``Awesome Universe -- the Cosmos through the eyes of the European Southern Observatory". Around the exhibition, were proposed several activities: guide tours for children, younger and adults, workshops, film projections... In this way, the exhibition was visited by more than two thousand persons. We must keep in mind that Santander is a small city and its population does not usually take part in outreach activity. With this contribution, we want to teach the way in which it is possible to take advantage of science exhibitions. It made possible to show stunning images that showcase celestial objects as seen by ESO's observatories to the great majority of Santander population, and to awaken their interest in or enthusiasm for science.

Reflection on 10 Years of Community-Engaged Scholarship in the Faculty of Land and Food Systems at the University of British Columbia-Vancouver

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rojas, Alejandro; Sipos, Yona; Valley, Will

2012-01-01

In this article, the authors describe a cultural transformation to embrace community-engaged scholarship by faculty members in the Faculty of Land and Food Systems at the University of British Columbia-Vancouver. They describe a transition from community-inquiry faculty projects to community-engaged action research projects achieved through…

Continuing Education Activities of the University of British Columbia, 1982-1983. A Report to the President, the Senate, and the Board of Governors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

British Columbia Univ., Vancouver.

Continuing education activities of the University of British Columbia for the 1982-1983 academic year are reported. Information is provided on: extra-sessional credit programs, guided independent study, the Centre for Continuing Education, the Division of Continuing Education in the Health Sciences, professional programs of the Faculty of Commerce…

Columbia Switches to Automatic Fire Detection

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gardner, John C.

1978-01-01

Columbia University has started a project that, in the first two phases, will provide an internal fire alarm system to residence halls and academic buildings. The third phase will be major structural changes to bring older academic buildings up to meet new life safety codes. (Author/MLF)

KSC-99pp0766

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-06-24

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Launch Pad 39B, the payload canister carrying the Chandra X-ray Observatory nears the end of its ascent up the Rotating Service Structure (RSS) to the Payload Changeout Room. Umbilical hoses, which maintain a controlled environment for the observatory, are still attached to the payload canister transporter below that transferred the payload from the Vertical Processing Facility. The observatory will be moved into the payload bay of the Space Shuttle Columbia, seen in the background, after the RSS rotates to a position behind Columbia. The world's most powerful X-ray telescope, Chandra will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of our universe. Chandra is scheduled for launch no earlier than July 20 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, on mission STS-93

KSC-99pp0772

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-06-27

In this fish-eye view, the Chandra X-ray Observatory rests inside the payload bay of the orbiter Columbia. Chandra is the primary payload on mission STS-93, scheduled to launch no earlier than July 20 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia. The world's most powerful X-ray telescope, Chandra will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of our universe

150th Anniversary of the Astronomical Observatory Library of Sciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Solntseva, T.

The scientific library of the Astronomical observatory of Kyiv Taras Shevchenko University is one of the oldest ones of such a type in Ukraine. Our Astronomical Observatory and its scientific library will celebrate 150th anniversary of their foundation. 900 volumes of duplicates of Olbers' private library underlay our library. These ones were acquired by Russian Academy of Sciences for Poulkovo observatory in 1841 but according to Struve's order were transmitted to Kyiv Saint Volodymyr University. These books are of great value. There are works edited during Copernicus', Kepler's, Galilei's, Newton's, Descartes' lifetime. Our library contains more than 100000 units of storage - monographs, periodical astronomical editions from the first (Astronomische Nachrichten, Astronomical journal, Monthly Notices etc.), editions of the majority of the astronomical observatories and institutions of the world, unique astronomical atlases and maps

Knowledge Is "a Form of Venture Capital" for a Top Columbia Administrator.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blumenstyk, Goldie

2001-01-01

Explains how for Michael M. Crow, executive vice provost at Columbia University, knowledge is a form of venture capital. This means pushing Columbia beyond the usual role of creating knowledge and disseminating it in traditional manners, and instead taking the knowledge, incubating it, and projecting it using tools like the Internet. (SM)

Alaska Volcano Observatory

USGS Publications Warehouse

Venezky, Dina Y.; Murray, Tom; Read, Cyrus

2008-01-01

Steam plume from the 2006 eruption of Augustine volcano in Cook Inlet, Alaska. Explosive ash-producing eruptions from Alaska's 40+ historically active volcanoes pose hazards to aviation, including commercial aircraft flying the busy North Pacific routes between North America and Asia. The Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) monitors these volcanoes to provide forecasts of eruptive activity. AVO is a joint program of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the Geophysical Institute of the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAFGI), and the State of Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys (ADGGS). AVO is one of five USGS Volcano Hazards Program observatories that monitor U.S. volcanoes for science and public safety. Learn more about Augustine volcano and AVO at http://www.avo.alaska.edu.

An Observatory to Enhance the Preparation of Future California Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Connolly, L.; Lederer, S.

2004-12-01

With a major grant from the W. M. Keck Foundation, California State University, San Bernardino is establishing a state-of-the-art teaching astronomical observatory. The Observatory will be fundamental to an innovative undergraduate physics and astronomy curriculum for Physics and Liberal Studies majors and will be integrated into our General Education program. The critical need for a research and educational observatory is linked to changes in California's Science Competencies for teacher certification. Development of the Observatory will also complement a new infusion of NASA funding and equipment support for our growing astronomy education programs and the University's established Strategic Plan for excellence in education and teacher preparation. The Observatory will consist of two domed towers. One tower will house a 20" Ritchey-Chretien telescope equipped with a CCD camera in conjunction with either UBVRI broadband filters or a spectrometer for evening laboratories and student research projects. The second tower will house the university's existing 12" Schmidt-Cassegrain optical telescope coupled with a CCD camera and an array of filters. A small aperture solar telescope will be attached to the 12" for observing solar prominences while a milar filter can be attached to the 12" for sunspot viewing. We have been very fortunate to receive a challenge grant of \\600,000 from the W. M. Keck Foundation to equip the two domed towers; we continue to seek a further \\800,000 to meet our construction needs. Funding also provided by the California State University, San Bernardino.

The great observatories for space astrophysics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harwit, M.; Neal, V.

1986-01-01

Motivated by the ancient urge to observe, measure, compute, and understand the nature of the Universe, the available advanced technology is used to place entire observatories into space for investigations across the spectrum. Stellar evolution, development and nature of the Universe, planetary exploration, technology, NASA's role, and careers in asronomy are displayed.

Cases in Partnership between Independent Schools and Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Durnan, Vincent W.

2016-01-01

This study provides an in-depth look at six unique models of partnership between independent schools and a nearby college/university. The six cases include the University School of Nashville and Vanderbilt University; the Lab School and University of Chicago; the School at Columbia and Columbia University; the Boston University Academy and Boston…

Operating observatories: the need for a new paradigm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Payne, Ifan; Veillet, Christian

2014-08-01

At a time of declining funding, the managers of ground based observatories may not be in the best position to ensure adequate resources either for developing new facilities or new instruments or for upgrading existing facilities. Nor can there be dependence upon the traditional support for researchers which in turn implies that there is inadequate founding to cover the cost of operations. For historical reasons, an overwhelming number of observatories in the USA are affiliated with, or hosted by, universities yet, because of the traditional lack of entrepreneurial thinking and the complexity and the extent of administrations, a university may not be the best environment to develop new approaches to the management of observatories; nor is an academic background of necessity the best preparation for best management practices. We propose that observatories should adopt a business-like approach, to be service providers, and to use the same metrics as for a business. This approach may entail forming corporations, forming consortia, spreading the risk and to find additional sources of income from sales and spin-offs.

Developing leadership in nurse managers: the British Columbia Nursing Leadership Institute.

PubMed

MacPhee, Maura; Bouthillette, France

2008-01-01

The British Columbia Nursing Administrative Leadership Institute for First Line Nurse Leaders (BC NLI) is a collaborative partnership among British Columbia's Chief Nursing Officers, the Ministry of Health Nursing Directorate and the University of British Columbia School of Nursing. This initiative consists of a four-day residential program and a year-long leadership project between BC NLI participants and their organizational mentors. The evidence-based curriculum covers universal leadership and management concepts, but it also addresses leadership issues of relevance to nurse leaders in today's complex healthcare environments. The BC NLI is part of a provincial health human resources endeavour to ensure sufficient nursing leaders - for now and in the future. This paper will discuss the development, implementation and evaluation of the BC NLI. Unique aspects of the program, such as its online networking component, will be described, and its role in nursing leadership research will be briefly examined.

Norwegian Ocean Observatory Network (NOON)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferré, Bénédicte; Mienert, Jürgen; Winther, Svein; Hageberg, Anne; Rune Godoe, Olav; Partners, Noon

2010-05-01

The Norwegian Ocean Observatory Network (NOON) is led by the University of Tromsø and collaborates with the Universities of Oslo and Bergen, UniResearch, Institute of Marine Research, Christian Michelsen Research and SINTEF. It is supported by the Research Council of Norway and oil and gas (O&G) industries like Statoil to develop science, technology and new educational programs. Main topics relate to ocean climate and environment as well as marine resources offshore Norway from the northern North Atlantic to the Arctic Ocean. NOON's vision is to bring Norway to the international forefront in using cable based ocean observatory technology for marine science and management, by establishing an infrastructure that enables real-time and long term monitoring of processes and interactions between hydrosphere, geosphere and biosphere. This activity is in concert with the EU funded European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI) roadmap and European Multidisciplinary Seafloor Observation (EMSO) project to attract international leading research developments. NOON envisions developing towards a European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ERIC). Beside, the research community in Norway already possesses a considerable marine infrastructure that can expand towards an international focus for real-time multidisciplinary observations in times of rapid climate change. PIC The presently established cable-based fjord observatory, followed by the establishment of a cable-based ocean observatory network towards the Arctic from an O&G installation, will provide invaluable knowledge and experience necessary to make a successful larger cable-based observatory network at the Norwegian and Arctic margin (figure 1). Access to large quantities of real-time observation from the deep sea, including high definition video, could be used to provide the public and future recruits to science a fascinating insight into an almost unexplored part of the Earth beyond the Arctic Circle

Telescopes in Education: the Little Thompson Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schweitzer, A. E.; Melsheimer, T. T.

2003-12-01

The Little Thompson Observatory is the first community-built observatory that is part of a high school and accessible to other schools remotely, via the Internet. This observatory is the second member of the Telescopes in Education (TIE) project. Construction of the building was done completely by volunteer labor, and first light occurred in May 1999. The observatory is located on the grounds of Berthoud High School in northern Colorado. We are grateful to have received an IDEAS grant to provide teacher training workshops for K-12 schools to make use of the observatory, including remote observing from classrooms. Students connect to the observatory over the Internet, and then receive the images back on their local computers. A committee of teachers and administrators from the Thompson School District selected these workshops to count towards Incentive Credits (movement on the salary schedule) because the course meets the criteria: "Learning must be directly transferable to the classroom with students and relate to standards, assessment and/or technology." Our program is also accredited by Colorado State University.

High Energy Astronomy Observatory (HEAO)

NASA Image and Video Library

1982-01-01

This artist's conception depicts the High Energy Astronomy Observatory (HEAO)-1 in orbit. The first observatory, designated HEAO-1, was launched on August 12, 1977 aboard an Atlas/Centaur launch vehicle and was designed to survey the sky for additional x-ray and gamma-ray sources as well as pinpointing their positions. The HEAO-1 was originally identified as HEAO-A but the designation was changed once the spacecraft achieved orbit. The HEAO project involved the launching of three unmarned scientific observatories into low Earth orbit between 1977 and 1979 to study some of the most intriguing mysteries of the universe; pulsars, black holes, neutron stars, and super nova. Hardware support for the imaging instruments was provided by American Science and Engineeing. The HEAO spacecraft were built by TRW, Inc. under project management of the Marshall Space Flight Center.

Ocean Drilling Program: Related Sites

Science.gov Websites

) 306-0390 Web site: www.nsf.gov Joint Oceanographic Institutions for Deep Earth Sampling (JOIDES) US Members: Columbia University, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory Florida State University Oregon State University, College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences Pennsylvania State University, College of Earth and

Moving from the Margins: Culturally Safe Teacher Education in Remote Northwestern British Columbia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harrison, Edward B.; Lautensach, Alexander K.; McDonald, Verna Lynn

2012-01-01

In 2007 the University of Northern British Columbia initiated a two-year elementary teacher education program at the Northwest Campus in Terrace, British Columbia. The program was designed to meet specific community needs in the North that arise from inequities in the cultural safety of Indigenous teachers and students. The authors share three…

The High School Physics Curriculum and the University of North Dakota Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nolby, C.; Hardersen, P.

2013-04-01

As astronomy is a subject largely absent in the secondary classroom for many reasons, the research presented here attempts to make astronomy education an option for high school students across the state of North Dakota. Through implementation of a two-week astronomy course at Grand Forks Central High School (GFCHS), two class periods totaling nineteen physics students (fourteen in the first class period and five in the second class period) were given the opportunity to learn material that would have otherwise been unavailable to them. Four of these students were female and fifteen of these students were male. During ten class periods from April 16, 2012 through April 27, 2012, instruction included presentation of basic astronomy concepts and observational techniques as well as student participation in demonstrations and activities regarding the course content. Students were given the option to visit the University of North Dakota (UND) Observatory the evening of April 20, 2012 for a public “star party” where they received a tour of the university's telescopes and other research equipment. During class time on April 25, 2012, students took a field trip to the John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences to tour both Aviation and Space Studies facilities at UND. The lesson plan for the course also included a group project utilizing the telescopes at the UND Observatory for remote observing to complete research on the astrometry of an asteroid. Students were given a pre-test at the start of the two-week course, daily exit surveys at the end of each class period, and a post-test at the end of the two-week course. These assessments were used to evaluate student enjoyment, progress, and overall perception of the astronomy course. This research identified common misconceptions in astronomy held by the learners as well as the most effective teaching methods. It was found that this course was overall successful in promoting the students' learning of astronomy in a short

EUSO-SPB2: Second Generation Extreme Universe Space Observatory on a SuperPressure Balloon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olinto, Angela

This is the lead Institution Co-Investigator Proposal for EUSO-SPB2, second generation Extreme Universe Space Observatory on a Super-Pressure Balloon. It is led by PI Angela V. Olinto at the University of Chicago with Co-Is at Marshall Space Flight Center (Institution PI, Mark Christl), Colorado School of Mines (Institution PI, Lawrence Wiencke), University of Alabama Huntsville (Institution PI, Patrick Reardon), and Lehman College, CUNY (Institution PI, Luis Anchordoqui). We propose to design, build, deploy, and publish the scientific results of a second generation of the Extreme Universe Space Observatory (EUSO), to be flown aboard a Super-Pressure Balloon (SBP). EUSO-SPB2 will monitor the night sky of the Southern hemisphere to study cosmic rays of very high to ultrahigh energies and pioneer the search for cosmogenic tau neutrinos from space. EUSO-SPB2 will be the first instrument to observe Cherenkov light from extensive airshowers high in the atmosphere. EUSO-SPB2 will observe a large sample of cosmic rays from 0.1 to 1 EeV with the Cherenkov technique and will discriminate among the Cherenkov profiles of primary protons, heavy nuclei, and photons. It will also characterize the background for upward going showers initiated by the decay of tau leptons, which are expected to be produced by Earth-skimming tau neutrinos. A coincidence veto will be developed for EUSO-SPB2 so it can characterize the background for Cherenkov signals from the neutrino produced tau leptons. EUSO-SPB2 will also use fluorescence observations to measure, for the first time, the evolution of nearly horizontal high altitude extensive air showers, which develop at the nearly constant low-density atmosphere. Such measurements will provide a unique channel to probe hadronic interaction models at ultrahigh energies, and may elucidate the reason why ultrahigh-energy cosmic ray (UHECR) showers observed by ground-based detectors contain more muons than expected from hadronic interaction models

KSC-99pp0771

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-06-27

In this fish-eye view, a worker oversees the movement of the Chandra X-ray Observatory into the payload bay of the orbiter Columbia. Chandra is the primary payload on mission STS-93, scheduled to launch no earlier than July 20 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia. The world's most powerful X-ray telescope, Chandra will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of our universe

Testing the Consistency of Soviet Data Using a Sequence of Hypothesis Tests

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-09-01

94720 P.O. Box 1620 La Jolla, CA 92038-1620 Dr. Richard LaCoss Prof. William Menke MIT-Lincoln Laboratory Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory M-200B of...Scholz Dr. William Wortman Lanont-Doherty Geological Observatory Mission Research Corporation of Columbia University 8560 Cinderbed Road Palisades...Geophysics A Division of Maxwell Laboratory Stanford University 11800 Sunrise Valley Drive, Suite 1212 Stanford, CA 94305 Reston, VA 22091 Mr. William J

Numerical Simulation of Quarry Source and Reflection/Refraction Seismic Experiments

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-08-01

Prof. William Menke MIT-Lincoln Laboratory Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory M-200B of Columbia University P. 0. Box 73 Palisades, NY 10964...University of Arizona Los Angeles, CA 90089-0741 Tucson, AZ 85721 Prof. Christopher H. Scholz Dr. William Wortman Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory...Sunrise Valley Drive, Suite 1212 Stanford, CA 94305 Reston, VA 22091 Mr. William J. Best Prof. Robert W. Clayton 907 Westwood Drive Seismological

Seismic Event Location in Regional Distances

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-03-22

William Menke MIT-Lincoln Laboratory Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory M-200B of Columbia University P. 0. Box 73 Palisades, NY 10964 Lexington, MA...University of Arizona Los Angeles, CA 90089-0741 Tucson, AZ 85721 Prof. Christopher H. Scholz Dr. William Wortman Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory...Sunrise Valley Drive, Suite 1212 Stanford, CA 94305 Reston, VA 22091 Mr. William J. Best Prof. Robert W. Clayton 907 Westwood Drive Seismological

NASA Extends Chandra X-ray Observatory Contract with the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2002-07-01

NASA NASA has extended its contract with the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in Cambridge, Mass. to August 2003 to provide science and operational support for the Chandra X- ray Observatory, one of the world's most powerful tools to better understand the structure and evolution of the universe. The contract is an 11-month period of performance extension to the Chandra X-ray Center contract, with an estimated value of 50.75 million. Total contract value is now 298.2 million. The contract extension resulted from the delay of the launch of the Chandra X-ray Observatory from August 1998 to July 1999. The revised period of performance will continue the contract through Aug. 31, 2003, which is 48 months beyond operational checkout of the observatory. The contract type is cost reimbursement with no fee. The contract covers mission operations and data analysis, which includes both the observatory operations and the science data processing and general observer (astronomer) support. The observatory operations tasks include monitoring the health and status of the observatory and developing and distributing by satellite the observation sequences during Chandra's communication coverage periods. The science data processing tasks include the competitive selection, planning, and coordination of science observations with the general observers and the processing and delivery of the resulting scientific data. Each year, there are on the order of 200 to 250 observing proposals selected out of about 800 submitted, with a total amount of observing time about 20 million seconds. X-ray astronomy can only be performed from space because Earth's atmosphere blocks X-rays from reaching the surface. The Chandra Observatory travels one-third of the way to the Moon during its orbit around the Earth every 64 hours. At its highest point, Chandra's highly elliptical, or egg-shaped, orbit is 200 times higher than that of its visible-light- gathering sister, the Hubble Space Telescope. NASA

78 FR 8497 - Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to Specified Activities; Marine Geophysical Survey Off the...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-06

... application. SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University (L...#applications . FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Howard Goldstein or Jolie Harrison, Office of Protected...

Science Enabled by Ocean Observatory Acoustics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Howe, B. M.; Lee, C.; Gobat, J.; Freitag, L.; Miller, J. H.; Committee, I.

2004-12-01

Ocean observatories have the potential to examine the physical, chemical, biological, and geological parameters and processes of the ocean at time and space scales previously unexplored. Acoustics provides an efficient and cost-effective means by which these parameters and processes can be measured and information can be communicated. Integrated acoustics systems providing navigation and communications for mobile platforms and conducting acoustical measurements in support of science objectives are critical and essential elements of the ocean observatories presently in the planning and implementation stages. The ORION Workshop (Puerto Rico, 4-8 January 2004) developed science themes that can be addressed utilizing ocean observatory infrastructure. The use of acoustics to sense the 3-d/volumetric ocean environment on all temporal and spatial scales was discussed in many ORION working groups. Science themes that are related to acoustics and measurements using acoustics are reviewed and tabulated, as are the related and sometimes competing requirements for passive listening, acoustic navigation and acoustic communication around observatories. Sound in the sea, brought from observatories to universities and schools via the internet, will also be a major education and outreach mechanism.

History of Chandra X-Ray Observatory

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-08-12

NASA’s Chandra X-Ray Observatory (CXO) was launched July 22, 1999 aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia, STS-93 mission. This image was produced by combining a dozen CXO observations made of a 130 light-year region in the center of the Milky Way over the last 5 years. The colors represent low (red), medium (green) and high (blue) energy x-rays. Thanks to Chandra's unique resolving power, astronomers have now been able to identify thousands of point-like x-ray sources due to neutron stars, black holes, white dwarfs, foreground stars, and background galaxies. What remains is a diffuse x-ray glow extending from the upper left to the lower right, along the direction of the disk of the galaxy. NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama manages the Chandra program. (NASA/CXC/UCLA/M. Muno et al.)

Summary of interference measurements at selected radio observatories

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tarter, Jill C.

1990-01-01

Results are presented from a series of RF interference (RFI) observations conducted during 1989 and 1990 at selected radio astronomy observatories in order to choose a site for the SETI, where the local and orbital RFI would be as benign as possible for observations of weak electromagnetic signals. These observatories included the DSS13 at Goldstone (California), the Arecibo Observatory (Puerto Rico), the Algonquin Radio Observatory in Ottawa (Canada), the Ohio State University Radio Observatory in Columbus (Ohio), and the NRAO in Green Bank (West Virginia). The observations characterize the RFI environment at these sites from 1 to 10 GHz, using radio astronomy antennas, feeds, and receivers; SETI signal processors; and stand-alone equipment built specifically for this purpose. The results served as part of the basis for the selection (by the NASA SETI Microwave Observing Project) of NRAO as the site of choice for SETI observations.

Columbia Quilt

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-02-22

A certificate is on display that confirms the transfer of a giant hand-made quilt in honor of space shuttle Columbia and her crew from the Office of Procurement to the Columbia Preservation Room inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The quilt was made by Katherine Walsh, a lifelong NASA and space program fan originally from Kentucky. The quilt will be displayed with its certificate in the preservation room as part of NASA's Apollo, Challenger, Columbia Lessons Learned Program.

Donald Menzel: His Founding and Funding of Solar Observatories.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Welther, B. L.

2002-12-01

In January 1961 Donald Menzel wrote to his cousin, M. H. Bruckman, "I am proudest of the observatories that I have built in the West." The first of those facilities, a solar observatory, was founded in 1940 in Colorado and later came to be known as the High Altitude Observatory. The second one, also a solar observatory, was founded a dozen years later at Sacramento Peak in New Mexico. The third facility, however, established at Fort Davis, Texas, was the Harvard Radio Astronomy Observatory. Although Menzel was primarily a theoretical astrophysicist, renowned for his studies of the solar chromosphere, he was also an entrepreneur who had a talent for developing observatories and coping with numerous setbacks in funding and staffing. Where many others would have failed, Menzel succeeded in mentoring colleagues and finding sources of financial support. This paper will draw primarily on letters and other materials in the Harvard University Archives.

High Energy Astronomy Observatory (HEAO)

NASA Image and Video Library

1975-01-01

The family of High Energy Astronomy Observatory (HEAO) instruments consisted of three unmarned scientific observatories capable of detecting the x-rays emitted by the celestial bodies with high sensitivity and high resolution. The celestial gamma-ray and cosmic-ray fluxes were also collected and studied to learn more about the mysteries of the universe. High-Energy rays cannot be studied by Earth-based observatories because of the obscuring effects of the atmosphere that prevent the rays from reaching the Earth's surface. They had been observed initially by sounding rockets and balloons, and by small satellites that do not possess the needed instrumentation capabilities required for high data resolution and sensitivity. The HEAO carried the instrumentation necessary for this capability. In this photograph, an artist's concept of three HEAO spacecraft is shown: HEAO-1, launched on August 12, 1977; HEAO-2, launched on November 13, 1978; and HEAO-3, launched on September 20. 1979.

Medical students as teachers at CoSMO, Columbia University's student-run clinic: a pilot study and literature review.

PubMed

Hamso, Magni; Ramsdell, Amanda; Balmer, Dorene; Boquin, Cyrus

2012-01-01

Although medical students are expected to teach as soon as they begin residency, medical schools have just recently begun adding teacher training to their curricula. Student-run clinics (SRCs) may provide opportunities in clinical teaching before residency. The aim of this pilot study was to examine students' experiences in clinical teaching at Columbia Student Medical Outreach (CoSMO), Columbia University's SRC, during the 2009-2010 school year. A mixed-methods approach was used. Data included closed and open-ended surveys (n = 34), combined interviews with preclinical and clinical student pairs (n = 5), individual interviews (n = 10), and focus groups (n = 3). The transcripts were analyzed using the principles of grounded theory. Many students had their first clinical teaching experience while volunteering at CoSMO. Clinical students' ability to teach affected the quality of the learning experience for their preclinical peers. Preclinical students who asked questions and engaged in patient care challenged their clinical peers to balance teaching with patient care. Clinical students began to see themselves as teachers while volunteering at CoSMO. The practical experiences in clinical teaching that students have at SRCs can supplement classroom-based trainings. Medical schools might revisit their SRCs as places for exposure to clinical teaching.

Columbia Quilt

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-02-22

A certificate and quilt square are on display that confirms the transfer of a giant hand-made quilt in honor of space shuttle Columbia and her crew from the Office of Procurement to the Columbia Preservation Room inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The quilt was made by Katherine Walsh, a lifelong NASA and space program fan originally from Kentucky. The quilt will be displayed in the preservation room with its certificate as part of NASA's Apollo, Challenger, Columbia Lessons Learned Program.

Status of the James Webb Space Telescope Observatory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clampin, Mark

2013-01-01

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is the largest cryogenic, space telescope ever built, and will address a broad range of scientific goals from first light in the universe and re-ionization, to characterization of the atmospheres of extrasolar planets. Recently, significant progress has been made in the construction of the observatory with the completion of all 21 flight mirrors that comprise the telescope's optical chain, and the start of flight instrument deliveries to the Goddard Space Flight Center. In this paper we discuss the design of the observatory, and focus on the recent milestone achievements in each of the major observatory sub-systems.

Telescopes in Education: the Little Thompson Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schweitzer, A. E.; Melsheimer, T. T.; Sackett, C.

2001-12-01

The Little Thompson Observatory is believed to be the first observatory built as part of a high school and accessible to other schools remotely, via the Internet. This observatory is the second member of the Telescopes in Education (TIE) project. Construction of the building was done completely by volunteer labor, and first light occurred in May 1999. The observatory is located on the grounds of Berthoud High School in northern Colorado. We are grateful to have received an IDEAS grant to provide teacher training workshops for K-12 schools in Colorado to make use of the observatory, including remote observing from classrooms. Students connect to the observatory over the Internet, and then receive the images back on their local computers. We are honored that a committee of teachers and administrators from the Thompson School district have selected these workshops to count towards Incentive Credits (movement on the salary schedule) because the course meets the criteria: "Learning must be directly transferable to the classroom with students and relate to standards, assessment and/or technology." Also in the past year, our training materials have been shared with NASA Goddard and Howard University, which are working together to develop a similar teacher education program.

Boscovich and the Brera Observatory .

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Antonello, E.

In the mid 18th century both theoretical and practical astronomy were cultivated in Milan by Barnabites and Jesuits. In 1763 Boscovich was appointed to the chair of mathematics of the University of Pavia in the Duchy of Milan, and the following year he designed an observatory for the Jesuit Collegium of Brera in Milan. The Specola was built in 1765 and it became quickly one of the main european observatories. We discuss the relation between Boscovich and Brera in the framework of a short biography. An account is given of the initial research activity in the Specola, of the departure of Boscovich from Milan in 1773 and his coming back just before his death.

History of the astronomical almanacs, yarbooks and calendars, the particapation of the Kyiv University Observatory in their creation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kazantseva, L. V.

2017-05-01

Astronomical Ephemeris, information about the circumstances of apparition various celestial objects long been used for professionals as well as amateur astronomy. The story of annual reference books with similar information was studied not well. In publications sometimes appear inconsistent and incomplete data. In particular, little known facts about participation of Kyiv astronomers in the creation of such publications, it was since the nineteenth century. The analysis of archival sources and funds Astronomical Museum allow drawing conclusions about the significant contribution the University Observatory to ephemeris service

Synchrotron Radiation from Outer Space and the Chandra X-Ray Observatory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weisskopf, M. C.

2006-01-01

The universe provides numerous extremely interesting astrophysical sources of synchrotron X radiation. The Chandra X-ray Observatory and other X-ray missions provide powerful probes of these and other cosmic X-ray sources. Chandra is the X-ray component of NASA's Great Observatory Program which also includes the Hubble Space telescope, the Spitzer Infrared Telescope Facility, and the now defunct Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory. The Chandra X-Ray Observatory provides the best angular resolution (sub-arcsecond) of any previous, current, or planned (for the foreseeable near future) space-based X-ray instrumentation. We present here a brief overview of the technical capability of this X-Ray observatory and some of the remarkable discoveries involving cosmic synchrotron sources.

STS-93 / Columbia Flight Crew Photo Op & QA at Pad for TCDT

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

The primary objective of the STS-93 mission was to deploy the Advanced X-ray Astrophysical Facility, which had been renamed the Chandra X-ray Observatory in honor of the late Indian-American Nobel Laureate Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar. The mission was launched at 12:31 on July 23, 1999 onboard the space shuttle Columbia. The mission was led by Commander Eileen Collins. The crew was Pilot Jeff Ashby and Mission Specialists Cady Coleman, Steve Hawley and Michel Tognini from the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES). This videotape shows a pre-flight press conference. Prior to the astronauts' arrival at the bunker area in front of the launch pad, the narrator discusses some of the training that the astronauts are scheduled to have prior to the launch, particularly the emergency egress procedures. Commander Collins introduces the crew and fields questions from the assembled press. Many questions are asked about the experiences of Commander Collins, and Mission Specialist Coleman as women in NASA. The press conference takes place outside in front of the Shuttle Columbia on the launch pad.

How the Use of Remote Sensing is Transferred to Diverse User Communities Through Capacity Building at Columbia University

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ceccato, P.; Bell, M. A.; Mantilla, G.; Thomson, M. C.

2012-12-01

This presentation will provide an overview of capacity-building activities developed by the International Research Institute for Climate and Society to help diverse stakeholder communities use remote sensing to monitor climate and environmental factors that influence public health, natural disasters and food security. Teaching at a graduate level at Columbia University, at summer institutes and in counties, we developed training modules and case studies on how to combine remote sensing data to monitor precipitation, temperature, vegetation, and water bodies with climate information and field data (e.g. fires, infectious disease incidence, Desert Locusts) to 1) understand the relationship between climate, environmental factors and specific challenges to development and 2) provide methodologies and tools to forecast and better manage the problems. At Columbia University, we have developed a graduate course that provides the practical and theoretical foundations for the application of remote sensing techniques to the identification and monitoring of environmental change. We use the IRI Data Library, an online tool, to i) manage diverse data, ii) visualize data, iii) analyze remote sensing images and iii) combine data from different sources (e.g., fires, public health, natural disasters, agriculture). The IRI Data Library tool allows the users to analyze on-line climatic and environmental factors in relation to particular problems at various space and time scales. A Summer Institute on Climate Information for Public Health, first developed in 2008, has brought together experts from the public health and climate communities at the IRI to learn how to integrate climate and environmental factors with public health issues. In countries and regions, we also provide training for climate and public health working professionals in Madagascar, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Colombia and the Mercosur Region (including Uruguay, Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina).

Cabled observatories: Connecting coastal communities to local ocean data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pelz, M.; Hoeberechts, M.; Brown, J. C. K.; McLean, M. A.; Ewing, N.; Moran, K.

2015-12-01

Coastal communities are facing a wide range of rapid changes due to anthropogenic and natural environmental influences. Communities are under pressure to adapt to effects of climate change, including altered shorelines, changes in availability of seafood, and in northern regions, changes to the extent, formation and break-up of land-fast and sea-ice. Access to up-to-date scientific data and basic climate literacy are essential tools to enable community members to make informed decisions about their own coast. Ocean Networks Canada (ONC) operates the world-leading NEPTUNE and VENUS cabled ocean observatories off the west coast of British Columbia (BC). ONC also operates smaller, coastal community observatories which provide data for both scientific and educational initiatives.The first Arctic community observatory, deployed in 2012, is located in Cambridge Bay, Nunavut. Real-time data flowing from the platform are collected by a range of instruments, including a conductivity-temperature-depth sensor (CTD), hydrophone, video camera, and an ice profiler. There is also a meteorological station and time lapse camera on the dock. Five additional community observatories are being installed over the next year along the coast of BC. Indigenous communities, including the Inuit population in Cambridge Bay and First Nations on BC's north and central coast, are key partners and collaborators of this initiative.Benefits to communities from cabled observatory ocean monitoring can only be achieved if the data collected are relevant to community members and contribute to research priorities identified within the community. The data must be easily accessible and complement existing environmental monitoring initiatives. Community members must possess knowledge and tools to analyze and interpret the data for their purposes. For these reasons, community involvement is critical to the project, including the design of user interfaces for data access, development of educational programs

Observatories on the moon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burns, J. O.; Duric, N.; Taylor, G. J.; Johnson, S. W.

1990-03-01

It is suggested that the moon could be a haven for astronomy with observatories on its surface yielding extraordinarily detailed views of the heavens and open new windows to study the universe. The near absence of an atmosphere, the seismic stability of its surface, the low levels of interference from light and radio waves and the abundance of raw materials make the moon an ideal site for constructing advanced astronomical observatories. Due to increased interest in the U.S. in the moon as a scientific platform, planning has begun for a permanent lunar base and for astronomical observatories that might be built on the moon in the 21st century. Three specific projects are discussed: (1) the Very Low Frequency Array (VLFA), which would consist of about 200 dipole antennas, each resembling a TV reception antenna about one meter in length; (2) the Lunar Optical-UV-IR Synthesis Array (LOUISA), which will improve on the resolution of the largest ground-based telescope by a factor of 100,000; and (3) a moon-earth radio interferometer, which would have a resolution of about one-hundredth-thousandth of an arc second at a frequency of 10 GHz.

Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOPHIA) Mirror Coating Facility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Austin, Ed

The joint US and German project, Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA), to develop and operate a 2.5 meter infrared airborne telescope in a Boeing 747-SP began late last year. Universities Space Research Association (USRA), teamed with Raytheon E-Systems and United Airlines, was selected by NASA to develop and operate SOPHIA. The 2.5 meter telescope will be designed and built by a consortium of German companies. The observatory is expected to operate for over 29 years with the first science flights beginning in 2001. The SOPHIA Observatory will fly at and above 12.5 km, where the telescope will collect radiation in the wavelength range from 0.3 micrometers to a 1.6 millimeters. Universities Space Research Association (USRA) with support from NASA is currently evaluating methods of recoating the primary mirror in preparation for procurement of mirror coating equipment. The decision analysis technique, decision criteria and telescope specifications will be discussed.

Chicago's Dearborn Observatory: a study in survival

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bartky, Ian R.

2000-12-01

The Dearborn Observatory, located on the Old University of Chicago campus from 1863 until 1888, was America's most promising astronomical facility when it was founded. Established by the Chicago Astronomical Society and directed by one of the country's most gifted astronomers, it boasted the largest telescope in the world and virtually unlimited operating funds. The Great Chicago Fire of 1871 destroyed its funding and demolished its research programme. Only via the sale of time signals and the heroic efforts of two amateur astronomers did the Dearborn Observatory survive.

21st Century Lightning Protection for High Altitude Observatories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kithil, Richard

2013-05-01

One of the first recorded lightning insults to an observatory was in January 1890 at the Ben Nevis Observatory in Scotland. In more recent times lightning has caused equipment losses and data destruction at the US Air Force Maui Space Surveillance Complex, the Cerro Tololo observatory and the nearby La Serena scientific and technical office, the VLLA, and the Apache Point Observatory. In August 1997 NOAA's Climate Monitoring and Diagnostic Laboratory at Mauna Loa Observatory was out of commission for a month due to lightning outages to data acquisition computers and connected cabling. The University of Arizona has reported "lightning strikes have taken a heavy toll at all Steward Observatory sites." At Kitt Peak, extensive power down protocols are in place where lightning protection for personnel, electrical systems, associated electronics and data are critical. Designstage lightning protection defenses are to be incorporated at NSO's ATST Hawaii facility. For high altitude observatories lightning protection no longer is as simple as Franklin's 1752 invention of a rod in the air, one in the ground and a connecting conductor. This paper discusses selection of engineered lightning protection subsystems in a carefully planned methodology which is specific to each site.

Golden legacy from ESA's observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2003-07-01

ISO was the first space observatory able to see the sky in infrared light. Using its eyes, we have discovered many new phenomena that have radically changed our view of the Universe. Everybody knows that when something is heated it glows. However, things also glow with a light our eyes cannot detect at room temperature: infrared light. Infrared telescopes do not work well on the Earth’s surface because such light is absorbed by the atmosphere. ISO looked at the cold parts of the universe, usually the 'cold and dusty' parts. It peered into clouds of dust and gas where stars were being born, observing for the first time the earliest stages of star formation. It discovered, for example, that stars begin to form at temperatures as low as -250°C or less. Scientists were able to follow the evolution of dust from where it is produced (that is, old stars - the massive 'dust factories') to the regions where it forms new planetary systems. ISO found that most young stars are surrounded by discs of dust that could harbour planets. The observatory also analysed the chemical composition of cosmic dust, thereby opening up a new field of research, ‘astromineralogy’. With ISO we have been able to discover the presence of water in many different regions in space. Another new discipline, 'astrochemistry', was boosted when ISO discovered that the water molecule is common in the Universe, even in distant galaxies, and complex organic molecules like benzene readily form in the surroundings of some stars. "ISO results are impacting most fields of astronomical research, almost literally from comets to cosmology," explains Alberto Salama, ISO Project Scientist. "Some results answer questions. Others open new fields. Some are already being followed up by existing telescopes; others have to await future facilities." When ISO's operational life ended, in 1998, its observations became freely available to the world scientific community via ISO’s data archive. In May 2003 the

Press Meeting 20 January 2003: First Light for Europe's Virtual Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2002-12-01

Imagine you are an astronomer with instant, fingertip access to all existing observations of a given object and the opportunity to sift through them at will. In just a few moments, you can have information on all kinds about objects out of catalogues all over the world, including observations taken at different times. Over the next two years this scenario will become reality as Europe's Astrophysical Virtual Observatory (AVO) develops. Established only a year ago (cf. ESO PR 26/01), the AVO already offers astronomers a unique, prototype research tool that will lead the way to many outstanding new discoveries. Journalists are invited to a live demonstration of the capabilities of this exciting new initiative in astronomy. The demonstration will take place at the Jodrell Bank Observatory in Manchester, in the United Kingdom, on 20 January 2003, starting at 11:00. Sophisticated AVO tools will help scientists find the most distant supernovae - objects that reveal the cosmological makeup of our Universe. The tools are also helping astronomers measure the rate of birth of stars in extremely red and distant galaxies. Journalists will also have the opportunity to discuss the project with leading astronomers from across Europe. The new AVO website has been launched today, explaining the progress being made in this European Commission-funded project: URL: http://www.euro-vo.org/ To register your intention to attend the AVO First Light Demonstration, please provide your name and affiliation by January 13, 2003, to: Ian Morison, Jodrell Bank Observatory (full contact details below). Information on getting to the event is included on the webpage above. Programme for the AVO First Light Demonstration 11:00 Welcome, Phil Diamond (University of Manchester/Jodrell Bank Observatory) 11:05 Short introduction to Virtual Observatories, Piero Benvenuti (ESA/ST-ECF) 11:15 Q&A 11:20 Short introduction to the Astrophysical Virtual Observatory, Peter Quinn (ESO) 11:30 Q&A 11:35 Screening of

Ask an Expert Resources | CIESE

Science.gov Websites

Dog - Whaletime (questions about ocean or marine animals) Geology Ask an Earth Scientist - Dept. of -Doherty Earth Observatory - Columbia University Ask a Gemologist Weather Ask a Weather Expert - USA Today

Construction/Application of the Internet Observatories in Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Satoh, T.; Tsubota, Y.; Matsumoto, N.; Takahashi, N.

2000-05-01

We have successfully built two Internet Observatories in Japan: one at Noda campus of the Science University of Tokyo and another at Hiyoshi campus of the Keio Senior High School. Both observatories are equipped with a computerized Meade LX-200 telescope (8" tube at the SUT site and 12" at the Keio site) with a CCD video camera inside the sliding-roof type observatory. Each observatory is controlled by two personal computer: one controls almost everything, including the roof, the telescope, and the camera, while another is dedicated to encode the real-time picture from the CCD video camera into the RealVideo format for live broadcasting. A user can operate the observatory through the web-based interface and can enjoy the real-time picture of the objects via the RealPlayer software. The administrator can run a sequence of batch commands with which no human interaction is needed from the beginning to the end of an observation. Although our observatories are primarily for educational purposes, this system can easily be converted to a signal-triggered one which may be very useful to observe transient phenomena, such as afterglows of gamma-ray bursts. The most remarkable feature of our observatories is that it is very inexpensive (it costs only a few tens of grands). We'll report details of the observatories in the poster, and at the same time, will demonstrate operating the observatories using an internet-connected PC from the meeting site. This work has been supported through the funding from the Telecommunicaitons Advancement Foundation for FY 1998 and 1999.

High Energy Astronomy Observatory (HEAO)

NASA Image and Video Library

1979-01-01

This image is an observation of Quasar 3C 273 by the High Energy Astronomy Observatory (HEAO)-2/Einstein Observatory. It reveals the presence of a new source (upper left) with a red shift that indicates that it is about 10 billion light years away. Quasars are mysterious, bright, star-like objects apparently located at the very edge of the visible universe. Although no bigger than our solar system, they radiate as much visible light as a thousand galaxies. Quasars also emit radio signals and were previously recognized as x-ray sources. The HEAO-2, the first imaging and largest x-ray telescope built to date, was capable of producing actual photographs of x-ray objects. Shortly after launch, the HEAO-2 was nicknamed the Einstein Observatory by its scientific experimenters in honor of the centernial of the birth of Albert Einstein, whose concepts of relativity and gravitation have influenced much of modern astrophysics, particularly x-ray astronomy. The HEAO-2 was designed and developed by TRW, Inc. under the project management of the Marshall Space Flight Center.

Two Observatories in Istanbul: from the Late Ottoman Empire to the Young Turkish Republic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benoist, Christophe

From the 17th century onward, the Ottoman Empire entered a phase of weakening, as a consequence of many factors including the dissolution of political stability, the loss of territory and decreasing revenue. In the second half of the 19th century, as an attempt to reinforce power of the central authority, the Ottomans undertook major reforms, called Tanzimat. During this period, individuals started to establish professional and learned associations similar to those in the West which eventually led to the creation of a Faculty of Science and to the Ottoman University (Darulfünun, 1900). In this context of reform and opening to the West, the Imperial Observatory (Rasathane-i Amire) was founded in 1868 with the support of France. Its primary aim was to exchange data between European and Ottoman meteorological stations. The Imperial Observatory occupied several locations before reaching its final setting in Kandilli (1911), on the Asian side of the Bosphorus where other activities were developed such as seismology, astronomy, meteorology and magnetic studies. Following the spirit of the newly founded Republic in 1923, a serious reform of the academic programmes and a purging of the staff of the Ottoman University led to the establishment of the Istanbul University in the historical quarter of Beyazit (1933). The Istanbul Astronomical Observatory was founded in the same year and its construction started in 1935. The university reform was largely influenced by the presence of German and other European scholars, many of them Jewish, escaping from Nazi persecution. In particular, Erwin Finlay-Freundlich from Potsdam Observatory became the first director of Istanbul Observatory. Kandilli and Istanbul University observatories are briefly presented here, stressing the main steps of their creation and their astronomica] heritage.

Long-lived space observatories for astronomy and astrophysics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Savage, Blair D.; Becklin, Eric E.; Beckwith, Steven V. W.; Cowie, Lennox L.; Dupree, Andrea K.; Elliot, James L.; Gallagher, John S.; Helfand, David J.; Jenkins, Edward F.; Johnston, Kenneth J.

1987-01-01

NASA's plan to build and launch a fleet of long-lived space observatories that include the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), the Gamma Ray Observatory (GRO), the Advanced X Ray Astrophysics Observatory (AXAF), and the Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF) are discussed. These facilities are expected to have a profound impact on the sciences of astronomy and astrophysics. The long-lived observatories will provide new insights about astronomical and astrophysical problems that range from the presence of planets orbiting nearby stars to the large-scale distribution and evolution of matter in the universe. An important concern to NASA and the scientific community is the operation and maintenance cost of the four observatories described above. The HST cost about $1.3 billion (1984 dollars) to build and is estimated to require $160 million (1986 dollars) a year to operate and maintain. If HST is operated for 20 years, the accumulated costs will be considerably more than those required for its construction. Therefore, it is essential to plan carefully for observatory operations and maintenance before a long-lived facility is constructed. The primary goal of this report is to help NASA develop guidelines for the operations and management of these future observatories so as to achieve the best possible scientific results for the resources available. Eight recommendations are given.

Automated Source Depth Estimation Using Array Processing Techniques

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-10-14

station for each depth cell , whose width is a user defined parameter, n [Bonner et al., 2002; Murphy et al. 1999]. The largest peak in the stack...Columbia University ATTN: Dr. Paul Richards Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory Route 9W Palisades NY 10964 University of California, Davis ATTN

Parameter Space of the Columbia River Estuarine Turbidity Maxima

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McNeil, C. L.; Shcherbina, A.; Lopez, J.; Karna, T.; Baptista, A. M.; Crump, B. C.; Sanford, T. B.

2016-12-01

We present observations of estuarine turbidity maxima (ETM) in the North Channel of the Columbia River estuary (OR and WA, USA) covering different river discharge and flood tide conditions. Measurements were made using optical backscattering sensors on two REMUS-100 autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) during spring 2012, summer 2013, and fall 2012. Although significant short term variability in AUV measured optical backscatter was observed, some clustering of the data occurs around the estuarine regimes defined by a mixing parameter and a freshwater Froude number (Geyer & MacCready [2014]). Similar clustering is observed in long term time series of turbidity from the SATURN observatory. We will use available measurements and numerical model simulations of suspended sediment to further explore the variability of suspended sediment dynamics within a frame work of estuarine parameter space.

NIEHS/EPA CEHCs: Southern Center on Environmentally-Driven Disparities in Birth Outcomes (SCEDDBO) - University of Michigan and Duke University

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health (CCCEH) at Columbia University studies long-term health of urban pollutants on children raised in minority neighborhoods in inner-city communities.

Education and public engagement in observatory operations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gabor, Pavel; Mayo, Louis; Zaritsky, Dennis

2016-07-01

Education and public engagement (EPE) is an essential part of astronomy's mission. New technologies, remote observing and robotic facilities are opening new possibilities for EPE. A number of projects (e.g., Telescopes In Education, MicroObservatory, Goldstone Apple Valley Radio Telescope and UNC's Skynet) have developed new infrastructure, a number of observatories (e.g., University of Arizona's "full-engagement initiative" towards its astronomy majors, Vatican Observatory's collaboration with high-schools) have dedicated their resources to practical instruction and EPE. Some of the facilities are purpose built, others are legacy telescopes upgraded for remote or automated observing. Networking among institutions is most beneficial for EPE, and its implementation ranges from informal agreements between colleagues to advanced software packages with web interfaces. The deliverables range from reduced data to time and hands-on instruction while operating a telescope. EPE represents a set of tasks and challenges which is distinct from research applications of the new astronomical facilities and operation modes. In this paper we examine the experience with several EPE projects, and some lessons and challenges for observatory operation.

Next Generation of Advanced Laser Fluorescence Technology for Characterization of Natural Aquatic Environments

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-09-30

Palisades , NY 10964-8000 phone: (845) 365-8552 fax: (845) 365-8150 email: chekaluk@ldeo.columbia.edu Andrew Barnard WET Labs, Inc 620...UNIT NUMBER 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University,61 Route 9W, Palisades ,NY...sample compartments for flow-through measurements and discrete sample analysis. The easy access allows use of disposable plastic cells for the

Lunar Observatories: Why, Where, and When?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lowman, D. Paul, Jr.; Durst, Steve; Chen, Peter C.

1999-01-01

The value of Moon-based astronomical instruments has been repeatedly supported by several major studies and conferences, such as the "Astrophysics from the Moon" meeting held in Annapolis, Maryland, in 1990 (Mumma and Smith, 1990). A comprehensive review of the advantages of lunar observatories was published in the same year by Burns et al. (1990). However, the decade since then has seen a number of major developments bearing on the topic of lunar observatories, including the following. Two space astronomy programs have been outstandingly successful since 1990: the Cosmic Background Explorer ((COBE) and the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). These instruments have shown for the first time the structure of the universe in the first stages of its creation, i.e., the "Big Bang." One result of these discoveries has been to focus new space astronomy programs on fundamental problems such as shape of the universe, evolution of galaxies, and the nature of "dark" matter. Since these questions involve the very earliest stages of the history of the universe, to study them requires observation of extremely distant objects. Because of the expansion of the universe, all radiation from such objects is greatly redshifted, into the infrared region of the spectrum. For this reason, the Next Generation Space Telescope, the successor to HST, will be an infrared telescope.

Swift Observatory Space Simulation Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Espiritu, Mellina; Choi, Michael K.; Scocik, Christopher S.

2004-01-01

The Swift Observatory is a Middle-Class Explorer (MIDEX) mission that is a rapidly re-pointing spacecraft with immediate data distribution capability to the astronomical community. Its primary objectives are to characterize and determine the origin of Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs) and to use the collected data on GRB phenomena in order to probe the universe and gain insight into the physics of black hole formation and early universe. The main components of the spacecraft are the Burst Alert Telescope (BAT), Ultraviolet and Optical Telescope (UVOT), X-Ray Telescope (XRT), and Optical Bench (OB) instruments coupled with the Swift spacecraft (S/C) bus. The Swift Observatory will be tested at the Space Environment Simulation (SES) chamber at the Goddard Space Flight Center from May to June 2004 in order to characterize its thermal behavior in a vacuum environment. In order to simulate the independent thermal zones required by the BAT, XRT, UVOT, and OB instruments, the spacecraft is mounted on a chariot structure capable of maintaining adiabatic interfaces and enclosed in a modified, four section MSX fixture in order to accommodate the strategic placement of seven cryopanels (on four circuits), four heater panels, and a radiation source burst simulator mechanism. There are additionally 55 heater circuits on the spacecraft. To mitigate possible migration of silicone contaminants from BAT to the XRT and UVOT instruments, a contamination enclosure is to be fabricated around the BAT at the uppermost section of the MSX fixture. This paper discuses the test requirements and implemented thermal vacuum test configuration for the Swift Observatory.

The University of Tokyo Atacama Observatory 6.5m telescope: project overview and current status

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoshii, Y.; Doi, M.; Kohno, K.; Miyata, T.; Motohara, K.; Kawara, K.; Tanaka, M.; Minezaki, T.; Sako, S.; Morokuma, T.; Tamura, Y.; Tanabe, T.; Takahashi, H.; Konishi, M.; Kamizuka, T.; Kato, N.; Aoki, T.; Soyano, T.; Tarusawa, K.; Handa, T.; Koshida, S.; Bronfman, L.; Ruiz, M. T.; Hamuy, M.; Garay, G.

2016-07-01

The University of Tokyo Atacama Observatory Project is to construct a 6.5m infrared telescope at the summit of Co. Chajnantor (5640m altitude) in northern Chile, promoted by the University of Tokyo. Thanks to the dry climate (PWV 0.5mm) and the high altitude, it will achieve excellent performance in the NIR to MIR wavelengths. The telescope has two Nasmyth foci where the facility instruments are installed and two folded-Cassegrain foci for carry-in instruments. All these four foci can be switched by rotating a tertiary mirror. The final focal ratio is 12.2 and the telescope foci have large field-of-view of 25° in diameter. We adopted the 6.5m light-weighted borosilicate honeycomb primary mirror and its support system that are developed by Steward Observatory Richard F. Caris Mirror Lab. The dome enclosure has the shape of carousel, and large ventilation windows with shutters control the wind to flush heat inside the dome. The operation building with control room, aluminizing chamber and maintenance facilities is located at the side of the dome. Two cameras, SWIMS for spectroscopy and imaging in the near-infrared and MIMIZUKU in the mid-infrared, are being developed as the first-generation facility instruments. The operation of the telescope will be remotely carried out from a base facility at San Pedro de Atacama, 50km away from the summit. The construction of the telescope is now underway. Fabrication of the telescope mount has almost finished, and the pre-assembly has been carried out in Japan. The primary, secondary, and tertiary mirrors and their cells have been also fabricated, as well as their cells and support systems. Fabrication of the enclosure is now underway, and their pre-assembly in Japan will be carried out in 2016. Construction of the base facility at San Pedro de Atacama has been already completed in 2014, and operated for the activities in Atacama. The telescope is now scheduled to see the first light at the beginning of 2018.

Marvels and Shadows: Science and Education at the University of Puerto Rico School of Tropical Medicine under the Auspices of Columbia University: An Introduction.

PubMed

Mayo-Santana, Raúl; Rabionet, Silvia E; Peña-Carro, Lucy; Serrano, Adelfa E

2016-06-01

This essay introduces a series of five historical articles on the scientific and educational contributions of the University of Puerto Rico School of Tropical Medicine (STM), under the auspices of Columbia University (1926-1949), to the fields of tropical medicine and public health. The articles will appear in several consecutive issues, and will address various themes as follows: 1) historical antecedents of the STM, particularly institutional precedents; 2) the educational legacy of the STM; 3) a history of the STM scientific journal ("The Puerto Rico Journal of Public Health and Tropical Medicine"); 4) the scientific practices and representations that prevailed at the institution; and, 5) a brief sociocultural history of malaria in Puerto Rico, mainly from the perspective of the STM's scientific and public health activities. The authors have systematically and comprehensively studied a wide variety of documents from different sources based on multiple archives in Puerto Rico, the United States and England. The authors treat the fluid meanings of the examined historical encounters from a research perspective that privilege complex reciprocal interactions, multiple adaptations and elaborate sociocultural constructs present in a collaborative exemplar of the modernity of medical science in a neocolonial tropical context.

An Overview of the Performance of the Chandra X-ray Observatory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weisskopf, M. C.; Aldcroft, T. L.; Bautz, M.; Cameron, R. A.; Dewey, D.; Drake, J. J.; Grant, C. E.; Marshall, H. L.; Murray, S. S.

2004-01-01

The Chandra X-ray Observatory is the X-ray component of NASA's Great Observatory Program which includes the recently launched Spitzer Infrared Telescope, the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) for observations in the visible, and the Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory (CGRO) which, after providing years of useful data has reentered the atmosphere. All these facilities provide, or provided, scientific data to the international astronomical community in response to peer-reviewed proposals for their use. The Chandra X-ray Observatory was the result of the efforts of many academic, commercial, and government organizations primarily in the United States but also in Europe. NASA s Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) manages the Project and provides Project Science; Northrop Grumman Space Technology (NGST - formerly TRW) served as prime contractor responsible for providing the spacecraft, the telescope, and assembling and testing the Observatory; and the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) provides technical support and is responsible for ground operations including the Chandra X-ray Center (CXC). Telescope and instrument teams at SAO, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the Pennsylvania State University (PSU), the Space Research Institute of the Netherlands (SRON), the Max-Planck Institut fur extraterrestrische Physik (MPE), and the University of Kiel support also provide technical support to the Chandra Project. We present here a detailed description of the hardware, its on-orbit performance, and a brief overview of some of the remarkable discoveries that illustrate that performance.

International Workshop on Methane Hydrate Research and Development (4th) Held in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada on May 9-11, 2005

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-12-27

Research at the University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada; the Marine Biogeochemistry Section at the Naval Research Laboratory...was organized by the Centre for Earth and Ocean Research at the University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada; the Marine ...Richard Coffin, Marine Biogeochemistry Section, US Naval Research Laboratory, Washington DC, USA, rcoffin@ccs.nrl.navy.mil Dr. Bjørn Kvamme

Telescopes in Education: the Little Thompson Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schweitzer, A.; Vanlew, K.; Melsheimer, T.; Melsheimer, L.; Rideout, C.; Patterson, T.

1997-12-01

A second observatory of the Telescopes in Education (TIE) project is in the planning stages, with hopes to be in use by fall 1998. The Little Thompson Observatory will be located adjacent to Berthoud High School in northern Colorado. TIE has offered the observatory a Tinsley 18" Cassegrain telescope on a 10-year loan. Local schools and youth organizations will have prioritized access to the telescope until midnight; after that, the telescope will be open to world-wide use by schools via the Internet. The first TIE observatory is a 24" telescope on Mt. Wilson, already booked through July 1998. That telescope has been in use every clear night for the past four years by up to 50 schools per month. Students remotely control the telescope over the Internet, and then receive the images on their local computers. The estimated cost of the Little Thompson Observatory is roughly \\170,000. However, donations of labor and materials have reduced the final price tag closer to \\40,000. Habitat for Humanity is organized to construct the dome, classrooms, and other facilities. Tom and Linda Melsheimer, who developed the remote telescope control system for the University of Denver's Mount Evans Observatory, are donating a similar control system. The formally-trained, all-volunteer staff will be comprised of local residents, teachers and amateur astronomers. Utilities and Internet access will be provided by the Thompson School District.

Molonglo Observatory: Building the Cross and MOST

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McAdam, Bruce

2008-03-01

When Bernard Mills left the GSIRO in 1960 to establish a radio astronomy group in the School of Physics, University of Sydney, he had not only invented the principle of cross-type radio telescopes but proved their great efficiency at surveying the positions, intensity and structure of radio sources. He had ambitious plans for a second generation Cross - a radio telescope with arms one mile long. This paper describes the circumstances of Mills' appointment as Professor of Astrophysics and the recruitment of an international Department that achieved his vision with the Molonglo Cross: The construction involved interaction with many colleagues - engineers in other university departments and government agencies, and with the contracting firms. Formal links were set up with the Electrical Engineering Department through The Radio Astronomy Centre in the University of Sydney and then with Arecibo Observatory through the Cornell-Sydney University Astronomy Center. When the Molonglo Cross completed its main survey in 1978 after eleven years, it was switched off and the EW arm was then converted to the Molonglo Observatory Synthesis Telescope. Many of the staff involved with the MOST are now challenged by SKAMP, testing systems for the Square Kilometre Array with cylindrical geometry in the Molonglo Prototype. These two later developments out of the original Cross telescope are described briefly.

Observations of Near-Earth Asteroids at Abastumani Astrophysical Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krugly, Yurij; Ayvazyan, Vova; Inasaridze, Raguli; Zhuzhunadze, Vasili; Molotov, Igor; Voropaev, Victor; Rumyantsev, Vasilij; Baransky, Alexander

Over the past five years physical properties of near-Earth asteroids are investigated in the Kharadze Abastumani Astrophysical Observatory. The work was launched in the collaboration with Kharkiv Institute of Astronomy within the Memorandum on scientific cooperation between Ilia State University (Georgia) and V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University (Ukraine) in 2011. In the framework of this study the regular observations of several dozen asteroids per year are carried out to determine the rotation periods, size and shape parameters of these celestial bodies. A broad international cooperation is involved in order to improve the efficiency of the study. Abastumani is included in the observatory network called the Gaia -FUN-SSO, which was created for the ground support of the ESA's Gaia space mission.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Dr. Anthony J. Catanese, president of the Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne, Fla., delivers the opening remarks at the university's Columbia Village dedication ceremony. The event is attended by family members of the STS-107 astronauts, other dignitaries, members of the university community and the public. Each of the seven new residence halls in the complex is named for one of the STS-107 astronauts who perished during the Columbia accident -- Rick Husband, Willie McCool, Laurel Clark, Michael Anderson, David Brown, Kalpana Chawla, and Ilan Ramon.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-10-28

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Dr. Anthony J. Catanese, president of the Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne, Fla., delivers the opening remarks at the university's Columbia Village dedication ceremony. The event is attended by family members of the STS-107 astronauts, other dignitaries, members of the university community and the public. Each of the seven new residence halls in the complex is named for one of the STS-107 astronauts who perished during the Columbia accident -- Rick Husband, Willie McCool, Laurel Clark, Michael Anderson, David Brown, Kalpana Chawla, and Ilan Ramon.

Interlibrary Loan and Post-Secondary Libraries in British Columbia. Report of a Project, September 1977-April 1978.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stuart-Stubbs, Basil

This report of a project conducted to improve the sharing of library resources in the post-secondary sector in British Columbia focuses on the operations of the Interlibrary Loan Network, which went into operation September 1, 1977. This network was designed to provide access to the library collections at the University of British Columbia, Simon…

Sierra Stars Observatory Network: An Accessible Global Network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williams, Richard; Beshore, Edward

2011-03-01

The Sierra Stars Observatory Network (SSON) is a unique partnership among professional observatories that provides its users with affordable high-quality calibrated image data. SSON comprises observatories in the Northern and Southern Hemisphere and is in the process of expanding to a truly global network capable of covering the entire sky 24 hours a day in the near future. The goal of SSON is to serve the needs of science-based projects and programs. Colleges, universities, institutions, and individuals use SSON for their education and research projects. The mission of SSON is to promote and expand the use of its facilities among the thousands of colleges and schools worldwide that do not have access to professional-quality automated observatory systems to use for astronomy education and research. With appropriate leadership and guidance educators can use SSON to help teach astronomy and do meaningful scientific projects. The relatively small cost of using SSON for this type of work makes it affordable and accessible for educators to start using immediately. Remote observatory services like SSON need to evolve to better support education and research initiatives of colleges, institutions and individual investigators. To meet these needs, SSON is developing a sophisticated interactive scheduling system to integrate among the nodes of the observatory network. This will enable more dynamic observations, including immediate priority interrupts, acquiring moving objects using ephemeris data, and more.

Columbia Reconstruction Project Team

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-02-14

In the RLV Hangar, a Columbia Reconstruction Project Team member examines pieces of debris from the Space Shuttle Columbia. The debris has begun arriving at KSC from the collection point at Barksdale Air Force Base, Shreveport, La. As part of the ongoing investigation into the tragic accident that claimed Columbia and her crew of seven, workers will attempt to reconstruct the orbiter inside the hangar.

Columbia Reconstruction Project Team

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-02-15

Columbia Reconstruction Project Team members move debris from the Space Shuttle Columbia into a designated sector of the RLV Hangar. The debris is being shipped to KSC from the collection point at Barksdale Air Force Base, Shreveport, La. As part of the ongoing investigation into the tragic accident that claimed Columbia and her crew of seven, workers will attempt to reconstruct the orbiter inside the hangar.

Wave Propagation in Laterally Varying Media: A Model Expansion Method

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-05-01

91125 .Mr. William 3. Best Prof. F. A. Dahlen 907 Westwood Drive Geological and Geophysical Sciences Vienna, VA 22180 P’inceton University Princeton... William Menke Prof. Charles G. Sammis Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory Center for Earth Sciences of Columbia University University of Southern...Pineda Court c. 6 William Kikendall Prof. Amos Nur Teledyne Geotech Department of Geophysics 3401 Shiloh Road Stanford University Garland, TX 75041

Telescopes in Education: the Little Thompson Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schweitzer, A. E.; Melsheimer, T. T.

2002-05-01

The Little Thompson Observatory is believed to be the first of its kind, located next to a high school and accessible to other schools remotely over the Internet. This observatory is the second member of the Telescopes in Education (TIE) project. Construction was done completely by volunteer labor, and the observatory was built on the grounds of Berthoud High School in northern Colorado. During 2001, we averaged 400-500 visitors per month. We are grateful to have received a STScI IDEAS grant to provide teacher training workshops for K-12 schools in northern Colorado to make use of the observatory, including remote observing from classrooms. Students connect to the observatory over the Internet, and then receive the images back on their local computers. We are honored that a committee of teachers and administrators from the Thompson School district have selected these workshops to count towards Incentive Credits (movement on the salary schedule) because the course meets the criteria: "Learning must be directly transferable to the classroom with students and relate to standards, assessment and/or technology." Also in the past year, our training materials have been shared with NASA Goddard and Howard University, which are working together to develop a similar teacher education program. Our next goal is to add solar observing capability! Please visit our website at www.starkids.org.

Education Potential of the National Virtual Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Christian, Carol

2006-12-01

Research in astronomy is blossoming with the availability of sophisticated instrumentation and tools aimed at breakthroughs in our understanding of the physical universe. Researchers can take advantage of the astronomical infrastructure, the National Virtual Observatory (NVO), for their investigations. . As well, data and tools available to the public are increasing through the distributed resources of observatories, academic institutions, computing facilities and educational organizations. Because Astronomy holds the public interest through engaging content and striking a cord with fundamental questions of human interest, it is a perfect context for science and technical education. Through partnerships we are cultivating, the NVO can be tuned for educational purposes.

The Cosmic Ray Energy Spectrum and Related Measurements with the Pierre Auger Observatory

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Abraham, : J.; Abreu, P.; Aglietta, M.

2009-06-01

These are presentations to be presented at the 31st International Cosmic Ray Conference, in Lodz, Poland during July 2009. It consists of the following presentations: (1) Measurement of the cosmic ray energy spectrum above 10{sup 18} eV with the Pierre Auger Observatory; (2) The cosmic ray flux observed at zenith angles larger than 60 degrees with the Pierre Auger Observatory; (3) Energy calibration of data recorded with the surface detectors of the Pierre Auger Observatory; (4) Exposure of the Hybrid Detector of The Pierre Auger Observatory; and (5) Energy scale derived from Fluorescence Telescopes using Cherenkov Light and Shower Universality.

Northern Studies at Northern Universities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Northern Review: A Multidisciplinary Journal of the Arts and Social Sciences of the North, 1994

1994-01-01

Describes college programs and research projects focused on the Arctic, northern studies, or northern concerns at Athabasca University (Alberta), the University of British Columbia, the University of Alaska Anchorage, the University of Alaska Fairbanks, the Scott Polar Institute at the University of Cambridge (England), and Kent State University…

Biology and conservation of the common murre in California, Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia: Vol. 1, Natural history and population trends

USGS Publications Warehouse

Manuwal, David Allen; Carter, Harry R.; Zimmerman, Tara; Orthmeyer, Dennis L.

2001-01-01

Over the past 30 years, the common murre (Uria aalge californica) has been recognized as a prominent indicator of marine conservation issues in California, Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia, especially regarding oil pollution, certain fisheries, and human disturbance. To assist the effective management of the common murre and the marine environments in which they live, this summary of available information on the biology and regional status of the common murre has been sponsored by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Division of Migratory Bird Management). In Volume 1 (Chapter 1), the natural history of the common murre is summarized, drawing heavily on breeding studies from the South Farallon Islands, California, plus a host of detailed breeding studies from the North Atlantic Ocean. Population trends of the common murre are summarized in Volume 1 (Chapter 2), focusing on changes in whole-colony counts determined from aerial photographs between the late 1970s and 1995 in California, Oregon and Washington. Historical data and human impacts to murre colonies since the early nineteenth century are also summarized. Volume 2 will summarize population threats, conservation, and management.Information presented in Volume 1 has been obtained and recorded by a large number of researchers and natural historians over two centuries. From the 1960s to 1995, most work in California, Oregon, and Washington was sponsored by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Minerals Management Service, and California Department of Fish and Game. Important breeding biology studies were conducted at the South Farallon Islands (Farallon National Wildlife Refuge) by the Point Reyes Bird Observatory, in coordination with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge). Colony surveys in California were conducted mainly by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge), U.S. Geological Survey (Western Ecological Research Center

NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory Unveils New Images

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-04-20

Philip H. Scherrer (left) principal investigator, Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager instrument, Stanford University in Palo Alto, speaks during a briefing to discuss recent images from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, or SDO, while colleagues Tom Woods, principal investigator, Extreme Ultraviolet Variability Experiment instrument, Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado in Boulder and Madhulika Guhathakurta, SDO program scientist, NASA Headquarters (right) look on Wednesday, April 21, 2010, at the Newseum in Washington. Photo Credit: (NASA/Carla Cioffi)

Columbia Reconstruction Project Team

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-02-15

Columbia Reconstruction Project Team members study diagrams to aid in the placement of debris from the Space Shuttle Columbia in the RLV Hangar. The debris is being shipped to KSC from the collection point at Barksdale Air Force Base, Shreveport, La. As part of the ongoing investigation into the tragic accident that claimed Columbia and her crew of seven, workers will attempt to reconstruct the orbiter inside the hangar.

Columbia Reconstruction Project Team

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-02-15

Columbia Reconstruction Project Team members move a piece of debris from the Space Shuttle Columbia into a specified sector of the RLV Hangar. The debris is being shipped to KSC from the collection point at Barksdale Air Force Base, Shreveport, La. As part of the ongoing investigation into the tragic accident that claimed Columbia and her crew of seven, workers will attempt to reconstruct the orbiter inside the hangar.

Columbia Reconstruction Project Team

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-02-15

A Columbia Reconstruction Project Team member uses a laptop computer to catalog debris from the Space Shuttle Columbia in the RLV Hangar. The debris is being shipped to KSC from the collection point at Barksdale Air Force Base, Shreveport, La. As part of the ongoing investigation into the tragic accident that claimed Columbia and her crew of seven, workers will attempt to reconstruct the orbiter inside the hangar.

Using Citizen Science to Close Gaps in Cabled Ocean Observatory Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morley, M. G.; Moran, K.; Riddell, D. J.; Hoeberechts, M.; Flagg, R.; Walsh, J.; Dobell, R.; Longo, J.

2015-12-01

Ocean Networks Canada operates the world-leading NEPTUNE and VENUS cabled ocean observatories off the west coast of British Columbia, and a community observatory in Cambridge Bay, Nunavut. Continuous power and connectivity permit large volumes of data to be collected and made available to scientists and citizens alike over the Internet through a web-based interface. The Oceans 2.0 data management system contains over one quarter petabyte of data, including more than 20,000 hours of video from fixed seafloor cameras and a further 8,000 hours of video collected by remotely operated vehicles. Cabled observatory instrument deployments enable the collection of high-frequency, long-duration time series of data from a specific location. This enables the study of important questions such as whether effects of climate change—for instance, variations in temperature or sea-level—are seen over the long term. However, cabled observatory monitoring also presents challenges to scientific researchers: the overwhelming volume of data and the fixed spatial location can be barriers to addressing some big questions. Here we describe how Ocean Networks Canada is using Citizen Science to address these limitations and supplement cabled observatory research. Two applications are presented: Digital Fishers is a crowd-sourcing application in which participants watch short deep-sea video clips and make annotations based on scientific research questions. To date, 3,000 participants have contributed 140,000 scientific observations on topics including sablefish abundance, hydrothermal vent geology and deep-sea feeding behaviour. Community Fishers is a program in which ordinary citizens aboard vessels of opportunity collect ocean data including water temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen and chlorophyll. The program's focus is to directly address the typical quality concerns around data that are collected using a citizen science approach. This is done by providing high quality scientific

Observatories Combine to Crack Open the Crab Nebula

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-08

Astronomers have produced a highly detailed image of the Crab Nebula, by combining data from telescopes spanning nearly the entire breadth of the electromagnetic spectrum, from radio waves seen by the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) to the powerful X-ray glow as seen by the orbiting Chandra X-ray Observatory. And, in between that range of wavelengths, the Hubble Space Telescope's crisp visible-light view, and the infrared perspective of the Spitzer Space Telescope. This composite image of the Crab Nebula, a supernova remnant, was assembled by combining data from five telescopes spanning nearly the entire breadth of the electromagnetic spectrum: the Very Large Array, the Spitzer Space Telescope, the Hubble Space Telescope, the XMM-Newton Observatory, and the Chandra X-ray Observatory. Credits: NASA, ESA, NRAO/AUI/NSF and G. Dubner (University of Buenos Aires) #nasagoddard #space #science

78 FR 37222 - Columbia Organic Chemical Company Site, Columbia, Richland County, South Carolina; Notice of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-20

... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [FRL-9826-7; CERCLA-04-2013-3761] Columbia Organic Chemical... Agency has entered into a settlement with Stephen Reichlyn concerning the Columbia Organic Chemical... comments by site name Columbia Organic Chemical Company by one of the following methods: www.epa.gov...

Nobeyama Radio Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murdin, P.

2000-11-01

Nobeyama Radio Observatory has telescopes at millimeter and submillimeter wavelengths. It was established in 1982 as an observatory of Tokyo Astronomical Observatory (NATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL OBSERVATORY, JAPAN since 1987), and operates the 45 m telescope, Nobeyama Millimeter Array, and Radioheliograph. High-resolution images of star forming regions and molecular clouds have revealed many aspects of...

NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory Unveils New Images

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-04-20

Tom Woods, (second from right), principal investigator, Extreme Ultraviolet Variability Experiment instrument, Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado in Boulder speaks during a briefing to discuss recent images from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, or SDO, Wednesday, April 21, 2010, at the Newseum in Washington. Photo Credit: (NASA/Carla Cioffi)

Astronomy Against Terrorism: an Educational Astronomical Observatory Project in Peru

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ishitsuka, M.; Montes, H.; Kuroda, T.; Morimoto, M.; Ishitsuka, J.

2003-05-01

The Cosmos Coronagraphic Observatory was completely destroyed by terrorists in 1988. In 1995, in coordination with the Minister of Education of Peru, a project to construct a new Educational Astronomical Observatory has been executed. The main purpose of the observatory is to promote an interest in basic space sciences in young students from school to university levels, through basic astronomical studies and observations. The planned observatory will be able to lodge 25 visitors; furthermore an auditorium, a library and a computer room will be constructed to improve the interest of people in astronomy. Two 15-cm refractor telescopes, equipped with a CCD camera and a photometer, will be available for observations. Also a 6-m dome will house a 60-cm class reflector telescope, which will be donated soon, thanks to a fund collected and organized by the Nishi-Harima Astronomical Observatory in Japan. In addition a new modern planetarium donated by the Government of Japan will be installed in Lima, the capital of Peru. These installations will be widely open to serve the requirements of people interested in science.

Private Observatories in South Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rijsdijk, C.

2016-12-01

Descriptions of private observatories in South Africa, written by their owners. Positions, equipment descriptions and observing programmes are given. Included are: Klein Karoo Observatory (B. Monard), Cederberg Observatory (various), Centurion Planetary and Lunar Observatory (C. Foster), Le Marischel Observatory (L. Ferreira), Sterkastaaing Observatory (M. Streicher), Henley on Klip (B. Fraser), Archer Observatory (B. Dumas), Overbeek Observatory (A. Overbeek), Overberg Observatory (A. van Staden), St Cyprian's School Observatory, Fisherhaven Small Telescope Observatory (J. Retief), COSPAR 0433 (G. Roberts), COSPAR 0434 (I. Roberts), Weltevreden Karoo Observatory (D. Bullis), Winobs (M. Shafer)

TRW Ships NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory To Kennedy Space Center

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1999-04-01

Two U.S. Air Force C-5 Galaxy transport planes carrying the observatory and its ground support equipment landed at Kennedy's Space Shuttle Landing Facility at 2:40 p.m. EST this afternoon. REDONDO BEACH, CA.--(Business Wire)--Feb. 4, 1999--TRW has shipped NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory ("Chandra") to the Kennedy Space Center (KSC), in Florida, in preparation for a Space Shuttle launch later this year. The 45-foot-tall, 5-ton science satellite will provide astronomers with new information on supernova remnants, the surroundings of black holes, and other celestial phenomena that produce vast quantities of X-rays. Cradled safely in the cargo hold of a tractor-trailer rig called the Space Cargo Transportation System (SCTS), NASA's newest space telescope was ferried on Feb. 4 from Los Angeles International Airport to KSC aboard an Air Force C-5 Galaxy transporter. The SCTS, an Air Force container, closely resembles the size and shape of the Shuttle cargo bay. Over the next few months, Chandra will undergo final tests at KSC and be mated to a Boeing-provided Inertial Upper Stage for launch aboard Space Shuttle Columbia. A launch date for the Space Shuttle STS-93 mission is expected to be announced later this week. The third in NASA's family of Great Observatories that includes the Hubble Space Telescope and the TRW-built Compton Gamma Ray observatory, Chandra will use the world's most powerful X-ray telescope to allow scientists to "see" and monitor cosmic events that are invisible to conventional optical telescopes. Chandra's X-ray images will yield new insight into celestial phenomena such as the temperature and extent of gas clouds that comprise clusters of galaxies and the superheating of gas and dust particles as they swirl into black holes. A TRW-led team that includes the Eastman Kodak Co., Raytheon Optical Systems Inc., and Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. designed and built the Chandra X-ray Observatory for NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center. The

Seeing and optimization of the thermal regime in the dome of 1.5-m Telescope Maidanak Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Artamonov, Boris P.

1997-03-01

Beginning in 1975 Sternberg Astronomical Institute of Moscow University (SAI) developed a search of places with the best astroclimate in Middle Asia. Mount Maidanak (150 km to south from Samarkand) was chosen after investigation of the meteorological conditions, temperature fluctuations and seeing quality by astroclimatical expeditions in a different city testing for Moscow University Observatory. Having an isolated summit Maidanak has good astroclimatical parameters: 2000 clean observational hours/year, median seeing about 0.7 arcsec (Artamonov et al. 1987, Bugaenko et al. 1992). At the end of 1992 SAI mainly finished the construction of Maidanak Observatory with a 1.5 meter RC telescope, but in 1993 the development of the observatory was stopped after nationalization by Uzbekistan. At present Sternberg Astronomical Institute and Tashkent Astronomical Institute (new owner of the observatory) continue to work in joint observations and try to create International Maidanak Observatory.

Adult Basic Education: British Columbia's Public Post-Secondary Institutions. An Articulation Handbook. 2008-2009 Edition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ministry of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development, 2008

2008-01-01

The purpose of Adult Basic Education (ABE) articulation is to ensure learners have access to quality courses, receive appropriate credits and are able to transfer easily among publicly-funded colleges, university colleges, universities and institutes in British Columbia. Articulation also involves liaison with the school system's ABE programs to…

Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Becklin, Eric E.; Casey, Sean C.; Davidson, Jacqueline A.; Savage, Maureen L.

1998-08-01

The joint US and German SOFIA project to develop and operate a 2.5 meter IR airborne telescope in a Boeing 747-SP is now in its second year. The Universities Space Research Association , teamed with Raytheon E-Systems and United Airlines, is developing and will operate SOFIA. The 2.5 meter telescope will be designed and built by a consortium of German companies led by MAN. Work on the aircraft and the preliminary mirror has started. First science flights will begin in 2001 with 20 percent of the observing time assigned to German investigators. The observatory is expected to operate for over 20 years. The sensitivity, characteristics, US science instrument complement, and operations concept for the SOFIA observatory, with an emphasis on the science community's participation are discussed.

EUSO-SPB2: second generation Extreme Universe Space Observatory (EUSO) on board a Super-Pressure Balloon (SPB), The University of Alabama in Huntsville, Co-I PROPOSAL

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reardon, Patrick

This is the Co-Investigator Proposal for EUSO-SPB2, second generation Extreme Universe Space Observatory on a Super-Pressure Balloon, being led by PI Angela V. Olinto at the University of Chicago. We propose to design, build, deploy, and publish the scientific results of a second generation of the Extreme Universe Space Observatory (EUSO), to be flown aboard a Super-Pressure Balloon (SBP). EUSO-SPB2 will monitor the night sky of the Southern hemisphere to study cosmic rays of very high to ultrahigh energies and pioneer the search for cosmogenic tau neutrinos from space. EUSO-SPB2 will be the first instrument to observe Cherenkov light from extensive air-showers high in the atmosphere. EUSOSPB2 will observe a large sample of cosmic rays from 0.1 to 1 EeV with the Cherenkov technique and will discriminate among the Cherenkov profiles of primary protons, heavy nuclei, and photons. It will also characterize the background for upward going showers initiated by the decay of tau leptons, which are expected to be produced by Earthskimming tau neutrinos. A coincidence veto will be developed for EUSO-SPB2 so it can characterize the background for Cherenkov signals from the neutrino produced tau leptons. EUSO-SPB2 will also use fluorescence observations to measure, for the first time, the evolution of nearly horizontal high altitude extensive air showers, which develop at the nearly constant low-density atmosphere. Such measurements will provide a unique channel to probe hadronic interaction models at ultrahigh energies, and may elucidate the reason why ultrahigh-energy cosmic ray (UHECR) showers observed by ground-based detectors contain more muons than expected from hadronic interaction models. EUSO-SPB2 is a pathfinder for the more ambitious space-based measurements by the Probe Of Extreme Multi-Messenger Astrophysics (POEMMA), currently proposed for a NASA design study. POEMMA will combine the well-developed Orbiting Widefield Light-collectors (OWL) concept with the

Gamma Ray Observatory (GRO) Prelaunch Mission Operations Report (MOR)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1991-01-01

The NASA Astrophysics Program is an endeavor to understand the origin and fate of the universe, to understand the birth and evolution of the large variety of objects in the universe, from the most benign to the most violent, and to probe the fundamental laws of physics by examining their behavior under extreme physical conditions. These goals are pursued by means of observations across the entire electromagnetic spectrum, and through theoretical interpretation of radiations and fields associated with astrophysical systems. Astrophysics orbital flight programs are structured under one of two operational objectives: (1) the establishment of long duration Great Observatories for viewing the universe in four major wavelength regions of the electromagnetic spectrum (radio/infrared/submillimeter, visible/ultraviolet, X-ray, and gamma ray), and (2) obtaining crucial bridging and supporting measurements via missions with directed objectives of intermediate or small scope conducted within the Explorer and Spacelab programs. Under (1) in this context, the Gamma Ray Observatory (GRO) is one of NASA's four Great Observatories. The other three are the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) for the visible and ultraviolet portion of the spectrum, the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF) for the X-ray band, and the Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF) for infrared wavelengths. GRO's specific mission is to study the sources and astrophysical processes that produce the highest energy electromagnetic radiation from the cosmos. The fundamental physical processes that are known to produce gamma radiation in the universe include nuclear reactions, electron bremsstrahlung, matter-antimatter annihilation, elementary particle production and decay, Compton scattering, synchrotron radiation. GRO will address a variety of questions relevant to understanding the universe, such as: the formation of the elements; the structure and dynamics of the Galaxy; the nature of pulsars; the existence

EDITORIAL: Selected articles from `The 8th Edoardo Amaldi Conference on Gravitational Waves (Amaldi 8)', Columbia University, New York, 22-26 June 2009 Selected articles from `The 8th Edoardo Amaldi Conference on Gravitational Waves (Amaldi 8)', Columbia University, New York, 22-26 June 2009

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marka, Zsuzsa; Marka, Szabolcs

2010-04-01

At Amaldi7,which was held in Sydney in 2007, the Gravitational Wave International Committee (GWIC), which oversees the Amaldi meetings, decided to hold the 8th Edoardo Amaldi Conference on Gravitational Waves at Columbia University in the City of New York. With this decision, Amaldi returned to North America after a decade. The previous two years have seen many advances in the field of gravitational-wave detection. By the summer of 2009 the km-scale ground based interferometric detectors in the USA and Europe were preparing for a second long-term scientific run as a worldwide detector network. The advanced or second-generation detectors had well-developed plans and were ready for the production phase or had started construction. The European-American space mission, LISA Pathfinder, is progressing towards deployment in the foreseeable future and it is expected to pave the way towards gravitational-wave detection in the millihertz regime with LISA. Plans were developed for an additional gravitational-wave detector in Australia and in Japan (in this case underground) to extend the worldwide network of detectors for the advanced detector era. Japanese colleagues also presented plans for a space mission, DECIGO, that would bridge the gap between the LISA and ground-based interferometer frequency range. Compared to previous Amaldi meetings, Amaldi8 had new elements representing emerging trends in the field. For example, with the inclusion of pulsar timing collaborations to the GWIC, gravitational-wave detection using pulsar timing arrays was recognized as one of the prominent directions in the field and was represented at Amaldi8 as a separate session. By 2009, searches for gravitational waves based on external triggers received from electromagnetic observations were already producing significant scientific results and plans existed for pointing telescopes by utilizing gravitational-wave trigger events. Such multimessenger approaches to gravitational-wave detection also

The Russian-Ukrainian Observatories Network for the European Astronomical Observatory Route Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andrievsky, S. M.; Bondar, N. I.; Karetnikov, V. G.; Kazantseva, L. V.; Nefedyev, Y. A.; Pinigin, G. I.; Pozhalova, Zh. A.; Rostopchina-Shakhovskay, A. N.; Stepanov, A. V.; Tolbin, S. V.

2011-09-01

In 2004,the Center of UNESCO World Heritage has announced a new initiative "Astronomy & World Heritage" directed for search and preserving of objects,referred to astronomy,its history in a global value,historical and cultural properties. There were defined a strategy of thematic programme "Initiative" and general criteria for selecting of ancient astronomical objects and observatories. In particular, properties that are situated or have significance in relation to celestial objects or astronomical events; representations of sky and/or celestial bodies and astronomical events; observatories and instruments; properties closely connected with the history of astronomy. In 2005-2006,in accordance with the program "Initiative", information about outstanding properties connected with astronomy have been collected.In Ukraine such work was organized by astronomical expert group in Nikolaev Astronomical Observatory. In 2007, Nikolaev observatory was included to the Tentative List of UNESCO under # 5116. Later, in 2008, the network of four astronomical observatories of Ukraine in Kiev,Crimea, Nikolaev and Odessa,considering their high authenticities and integrities,was included to the Tentative List of UNESCO under # 5267 "Astronomical Observatories of Ukraine". In 2008-2009, a new project "Thematic Study" was opened as a successor of "Initiative". It includes all fields of astronomical heritage from earlier prehistory to the Space astronomy (14 themes in total). We present the Ukraine-Russian Observatories network for the "European astronomical observatory Route project". From Russia two observatories are presented: Kazan Observatory and Pulkovo Observatory in the theme "Astronomy from the Renaissance to the mid-twentieth century".The description of astronomical observatories of Ukraine is given in accordance with the project "Thematic study"; the theme "Astronomy from the Renaissance to the mid-twentieth century" - astronomical observatories in Kiev,Nikolaev and Odessa; the

Current Status of Carl Sagan Observatory in Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanchez-Ibarra, A.

The current status of Observatory "Carl Sagan" (OCS) of University of Sonora is presented. This project was born in 1996 focused to build a small solar-stellar observatory completely operated by remote control. The observatory will be at "Cerro Azul", a 2480 m peak in one of the best regions in the world for astronomical observation, at the Sonora-Arizona desert. The OCS, with three 16 cm solar telescopes and a 55 cm stellar telescope is one of the cheapest observatories, valuated in US200,000 Added to its scientific goals to study solar coronal holes and Supernovae Type 1A, the OCS has a strong educative and cultural program in Astronomy to all levels. At the end of 2001, we started the Program "Constelacion", to build small planetariums through all the countries with a cost of only US80,000. Also, the webcast system for transmission of the solar observations from the prototype OCS at the campus, was expanded to webcast educational programs in Astronomy since July of this year, including courses and diplomats for Latin American people. All of these advances are exposed here.

A robotic observatory in the city

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruch, Gerald T.; Johnston, Martin E.

2012-05-01

The University of St. Thomas (UST) Observatory is an educational facility integrated into UST's undergraduate curriculum as well as the curriculum of several local schools. Three characteristics combine to make the observatory unique. First, the telescope is tied directly to the support structure of a four-story parking ramp instead of an isolated pier. Second, the facility can be operated remotely over an Internet connection and is capable of performing observations without a human operator. Third, the facility is located on campus in the heart of a metropolitan area where light pollution is severe. Our tests indicate that, despite the lack of an isolated pier, vibrations from the ramp do not degrade the image quality at the telescope. The remote capability facilitates long and frequent observing sessions and allows others to use the facility without traveling to UST. Even with the high background due to city lights, the sensitivity and photometric accuracy of the system are sufficient to fulfill our pedagogical goals and to perform a variety of scientific investigations. In this paper, we outline our educational mission, provide a detailed description of the observatory, and discuss its performance characteristics.

Unesco's Global Ethics Observatory

PubMed Central

Have, H ten; Ang, T W

2007-01-01

The Global Ethics Observatory, launched by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization in December 2005, is a system of databases in the ethics of science and technology. It presents data on experts in ethics, on institutions (university departments and centres, commissions, councils and review boards, and societies and associations) and on teaching programmes in ethics. It has a global coverage and will be available in six major languages. Its aim is to facilitate the establishment of ethical infrastructures and international cooperation all around the world. PMID:17209103

Swift Creek Landslide Observatory: a university public - private partnership for education and public safety

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Linneman, S. R.

2017-12-01

Community - Scientist partnerships take many forms. In the northwest corner of Washington state a large, active, serpentinitic earthflow has, for decades, shed >25,000 m^3/yr of asbestos-rich sediment into a small agricultural stream system. While the landslide, which moves 3 m/yr, and its unusual sediment have much attracted scientific interest, the situation also presents a great opportunity for community - scientist partnerships. The Swift Creek Landslide Observatory (SCLO) (http://landslide.geol.wwu.edu) is a partnership between scientists and technical staff at Western Washington University + local landowners + the state Department of Ecology + Whatcom County Public Works + a local video security firm. SCLO maintains two remote webcams from which current images are posted to the SCLO website hourly. Users can also view archived images from the cameras, create image-compare visualizations, and create time-lapse movies from the eight-year image archive. SCLO is used by local emergency managers and residents to evaluate the threat of debris flows and floods. It is also used by educators to dramatically illustrate hillslope evolution at a variety of time scales.

Charting the Winds that Change the Universe, II The Single Aperture Far Infrared Observatory (SAFIR)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leisawitz, David

2003-01-01

The Single Aperture Far Infrared Observatory (SAFIR) will study the birth and evolution of stars and planetary systems so young that they are invisible to optical and near-infrared telescopes such as NGST. Not only does the far-infrared radiation penetrate the obscuring dust clouds that surround these systems, but the protoplanetary disks also emit much of their radiation in the far infrared. Furthermore, the dust reprocesses much of the optical emission from the newly forming stars into this wavelength band. Similarly, the obscured central regions of galaxies, which harbor massive black holes and huge bursts of star formation, can be seen and analyzed in the far infrared. SAFIR will have the sensitivity to see the first dusty galaxies in the universe. For studies of both star-forming regions in our galaxy and dusty galaxies at high redshifts, SAFIR will be essential in tying together information that NGST will obtain on these systems at shorter wavelengths and that ALMA will obtain at longer wavelengths.

The Upgraded Kharkiv V. N. Karazin National University Radiophysical Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chernogor, L. F.; Garmash, K. P.; Podnos, V. A.; Rozumenko, V. T.; Tsymbal, A. M.; Tyrnov, O. F.

2012-11-01

The Kharkiv V. N. Karazin National University Radiophysical Observatory clustered instruments are located at two sites, Gaidary (49°37'51'' N; 36°19'40.1'' E) and Grakovo (49°38'49'' N; 36°56'07'' E), where sample clock synchronization is accomplished by using GPS receivers. It is a powerful tool for identifying hidden linkages between different altitudes from the D region to GPS orbits. The findings from some experimental studies are illustrated. The MF-HF radar (Gaidary) simultaneously employs the differential absorption, spaced antenna, and the ionosonde techniques. HF Doppler sounding system comprises an HF Doppler radar at vertical incidence at Gaidary (it simultaneously makes soundings at three frequencies) and a passive radar system at Grakovo (it simultaneously observes four frequencies in the 30 kHz - 3 MHz band and eight frequencies in the 1 - 31 MHz band with a velocity resolution of a few m s-1 in most cases). Low-Earth orbit Cicada/Cicada-M and GPS/GLONASS navigation satellite TEC observations are made at Gaidary and Kharkiv City. Since 2001, the fluxgate magnetometer (Grakovo) has acquired measurements in the south-north (H component) and west-east (D) directions at half-second intervals in the 0.001 - 1Hz frequency band within which the internal noise varies from 0.5 pT at f = 1 Hz to 50 pT at f = 0.01Hz. The three-axis saturable-core magnetometer (Gaidary) acquires measurements in the two frequency bands, 0.01 - 0.1 Hz and 0.1 - 5 Hz, where the internal noise level does not exceed 0.075 nT.

Laboratory Particle Velocity Experiments on (JVE) Analog Rock

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-10-01

1620 Dr. Richard LaCoss Prof. William Menke MIT-Lincoln Laboratory Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory M-200B of Columbia University P. 0. Box 73...Building #77 University Park University of Arizona Los Angeles, CA 90089-0741 Tucson, AZ 85721 Prof. Christopher H. Scholz Dr. William Wortman Lamont...Stt"d University 11800 Sunrise Valley Drive, Suite 1212 Stanfora, CA 94305 Reston, VA 22091 Mr William J. Best Prof. Robert W. Clayton 907 Westwood

Columbia's Bridge to the Ph.D. Program: A research-focused initiative facilitating the transition to graduate school

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agüeros, Marcel A.

2015-01-01

Columbia University's Bridge to the Ph.D. in the Natural Sciences Program aims to enhance the participation of students from underrepresented groups in Ph.D. programs. To achieve this, the Bridge Program provides an intensive research, coursework, and mentoring experience to post-baccalaureates seeking to strengthen their graduate school applications and to prepare for the transition into graduate school. To date, 20 Bridge Program alumni --- including four in astronomy --- have gone on to Ph.D. programs at Columbia, the University of Michigan, Johns Hopkins, the University of Washington, Albert Einstein, Yale, and SUNY-Albany, among others. In this talk, I will touch on some of the connections between Pre-MAP and the Bridge Program, and particularly how my involvement in the former prepared me to lead the latter.

Observatories and Telescopes of Modern Times

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leverington, David

2016-11-01

Preface; Part I. Optical Observatories: 1. Palomar Mountain Observatory; 2. The United States Optical Observatory; 3. From the Next Generation Telescope to Gemini and SOAR; 4. Competing primary mirror designs; 5. Active optics, adaptive optics and other technical innovations; 6. European Northern Observatory and Calar Alto; 7. European Southern Observatory; 8. Mauna Kea Observatory; 9. Australian optical observatories; 10. Mount Hopkins' Whipple Observatory and the MMT; 11. Apache Point Observatory; 12. Carnegie Southern Observatory (Las Campanas); 13. Mount Graham International Optical Observatory; 14. Modern optical interferometers; 15. Solar observatories; Part II. Radio Observatories: 16. Australian radio observatories; 17. Cambridge Mullard Radio Observatory; 18. Jodrell Bank; 19. Early radio observatories away from the Australian-British axis; 20. The American National Radio Astronomy Observatory; 21. Owens Valley and Mauna Kea; 22. Further North and Central American observatories; 23. Further European and Asian radio observatories; 24. ALMA and the South Pole; Name index; Optical observatory and telescope index; Radio observatory and telescope index; General index.

UNIVERSAL HIGHER EDUCATION.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MCGRATH, EARL J.

THIS DOCUMENT IS A REPORT ON A GROUP INQUIRY INTO THE SUBSTANCE AND IMPLICATIONS OF UNIVERSAL HIGHER EDUCATION. ELEVEN CHAPTERS ARE PAPERS PRESENTED AT A CONFERENCE HELD UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE INSTITUTE OF HIGHER EDUCATION, TEACHERS COLLEGE, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY, IN PUERTO RICO, NOVEMBER 15-21, 1964, FORECASTING THE FORM AND MISSION OF AMERICAN…

District of Columbia: Financial and Program Management Improvements Needed for Tuition Assistance Grant Program. Report to Congressional Committees. GAO-06-14

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Government Accountability Office, 2005

2005-01-01

Congress created the District of Columbia Tuition Assistance Grant (DCTAG) program in 1999 to provide D.C. college-bound residents with greater choices among institutions of higher education by affording them the benefits of in-state tuition at state colleges and universities outside the District of Columbia. Congress appropriated $17 million…

Nearby Type Ia Supernova Follow-up at the Thacher Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Swift, Jonathan; O'Neill, Katie; Kilpatrick, Charles; Foley, Ryan

2018-06-01

Type Ia supernovae (SN Ia) provide an effective way to study the expansion of the universe through analyses of their photometry and spectroscopy. The interpretation of high-redshift SN Ia is dependent on accurate characterization of nearby, low-redshift targets. To help build up samples of nearby SN Ia, the Thacher Observatory has begun a photometric follow-up program in 4 photometric bands. Here we present the observations and analysis of multi-band photometry for several recent supernovae as well as FLOYDS spectra from the Las Cumbres Observatory.

Historical Archives in Italian Astronomical Observatories: The ``Specola 2000'' Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chinnici, I.; Mandrino, A.; Bònoli, F.

2006-12-01

Italy's well-consolidated tradition in astronomy is fully witnessed by its rich archival heritage. Astronomical records are stored in many observatories and universities, as well as in libraries and in private institutions. In 2000 a project was promoted to arrange and produce inventories of all material kept in Italian observatory archives. The project was planned by the Società Astronomica Italiana, and financial support was provided by the Italian Ministero per i Beni e le Attività Culturali. In this paper, the results obtained thus far are presented and commented on.

Building Columbia from the SysAdmin View

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chan, David

2005-01-01

Project Columbia was built at NASA Ames Research Center in partnership with SGI and Intel. Columbia consists of 20 512 processor Altix machines with 440TB of storage and achieved 51.87 TeraPlops to be ranked the second fastest on the top 500 at SuperComputing 2004. Columbia was delivered, installed and put into production in 3 months. On average, a new Columbia node was brought into production in less than a week. Columbia's configuration, installation, and future plans will be discussed.

Activity in the Mission Control Center during Apollo 14

NASA Image and Video Library

1971-02-04

S71-17609 (4 Feb. 1971) --- These two individuals are examining a seismic reading in the Mission Control Center's ALSEP Room during the Apollo 14 S-IVB impact on the moon. Dr. Maurice Ewing (left) is the director of the Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory at Columbia University. David Lammlein, a Columbia graduate student, is on the right. The Apollo 14 Saturn IVB stage impacted on the lunar surface at 1:40:54 a.m. (CST), Feb. 4, 1971, about 90 nautical miles south-southwest of the Apollo 12 passive seismometer. The energy release was comparable to 11 tons of TNT. Dr. Gary Latham of the Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory is the principal investigator for the Passive Seismic Experiment, a component of the Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package.

Building a more diverse biomedical engineering workforce: Biomedical engineering at the university of the district of Columbia, a historically black college & university.

PubMed

Thompson, Lara A; Adebayo, A Segun; Nian Zhang; Haghani, Sasan; Dowell, Kathleen; Shetty, Devdas

2016-08-01

Biomedical Engineering (BME) is a new, multidisciplinary, and rapidly growing field, however, the BME Workforce suffers from limited ethnic and gender diversity. Despite the demand and growth of this new field due to its public health importance, only 4 out of the 107 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) nationwide offers a Bachelor's of Science (B.S.) in Bio-Engineering related fields. In order to contribute to a growing BME Workforce, HBCUs need to react and offer more degree-programs relevant to BME. At the University of the District of Columbia (UDC), an HBCU and the District's only public institution for higher learning, we have recently established a new, degree program: Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering (B.S. in BME) full-board approved in Fall 2014, with program activities initiated in Fall 2015. The educational goal of this program is to enhance the quality and diversity of the BME Workforce via student professional development, new and relevant BME courses, and BME scholarly activities (e.g., guest lectures and journal club sessions), ultimately to increase the number of ethnic minorities pursuing careers and degrees in BME. Through our program activities, we are aiming to meet the nation's demand to contribute to a diverse BME workforce, directed towards solving problems in human health. A secondary, but related goal, is to increase the diversity of STEM-related fields. This paper summarizes our initial, but encouraging, BME activity-related findings. However, this study will be longitudinal (on a multiple year time period) to observe the true outcomes of our initiative.

The Columbia River Research Laboratory

USGS Publications Warehouse

Maule, Alec

2005-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey's Columbia River Research Laboratory (CRRL) was established in 1978 at Cook, Washington, in the Columbia River Gorge east of Portland, Oregon. The CRRL, as part of the Western Fisheries Research Center, conducts research on fishery issues in the Columbia River Basin. Our mission is to: 'Serve the public by providing scientific information to support the stewardship of our Nation's fish and aquatic resources...by conducting objective, relevant research'.

The hills are alive: Earth surface dynamics in the University of Arizona Landscape Evolution Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DeLong, S.; Troch, P. A.; Barron-Gafford, G. A.; Huxman, T. E.; Pelletier, J. D.; Dontsova, K.; Niu, G.; Chorover, J.; Zeng, X.

2012-12-01

To meet the challenge of predicting landscape-scale changes in Earth system behavior, the University of Arizona has designed and constructed a new large-scale and community-oriented scientific facility - the Landscape Evolution Observatory (LEO). The primary scientific objectives are to quantify interactions among hydrologic partitioning, geochemical weathering, ecology, microbiology, atmospheric processes, and geomorphic change associated with incipient hillslope development. LEO consists of three identical, sloping, 333 m2 convergent landscapes inside a 5,000 m2 environmentally controlled facility. These engineered landscapes contain 1 meter of basaltic tephra ground to homogenous loamy sand and contains a spatially dense sensor and sampler network capable of resolving meter-scale lateral heterogeneity and sub-meter scale vertical heterogeneity in moisture, energy and carbon states and fluxes. Each ~1000 metric ton landscape has load cells embedded into the structure to measure changes in total system mass with 0.05% full-scale repeatability (equivalent to less than 1 cm of precipitation), to facilitate better quantification of evapotraspiration. Each landscape has an engineered rain system that allows application of precipitation at rates between3 and 45 mm/hr. These landscapes are being studied in replicate as "bare soil" for an initial period of several years. After this initial phase, heat- and drought-tolerant vascular plant communities will be introduced. Introduction of vascular plants is expected to change how water, carbon, and energy cycle through the landscapes, with potentially dramatic effects on co-evolution of the physical and biological systems. LEO also provides a physical comparison to computer models that are designed to predict interactions among hydrological, geochemical, atmospheric, ecological and geomorphic processes in changing climates. These computer models will be improved by comparing their predictions to physical measurements made in

NASA X-Ray Observatory Completes Tests Under Harsh Simulated Space Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1998-07-01

NASA's most powerful X-ray observatory has successfully completed a month-long series of tests in the extreme heat, cold, and airless conditions it will encounter in space during its five-year mission to shed new light on some of the darkest mysteries of the universe. The Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility was put through the rigorous testing as it was alternately heated and cooled in a special vacuum chamber at TRW Space and Electronics Group in Redondo Beach, Calif., NASA's prime contractor for the observatory. "Successful completion of thermal vacuum testing marks a significant step in readying the observatory for launch aboard the Space Shuttle in January," said Fred Wojtalik, manager of the Observatory Projects Office at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. "The observatory is a complex, highly sophisticated, precision instrument," explained Wojtalik. "We are pleased with the outcome of the testing, and are very proud of the tremendous team of NASA and contractor technicians, engineers and scientists that came together and worked hard to meet this challenging task." Testing began in May after the observatory was raised into the 60-foot thermal vacuum chamber at TRW. Testing was completed on June 20. During the tests the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility was exposed to 232 degree heat and 195 degree below zero Fahrenheit cold. During four temperature cycles, all elements of the observatory - the spacecraft, telescope, and science instruments - were checked out. Computer commands directing the observatory to perform certain functions were sent from test consoles at TRW to all Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility components. A team of contractor and NASA engineers and scientists monitored and evaluated the results. Commands were also sent from, and test data monitored at, the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility Operations Control Center in Cambridge, Mass., as part of the test series. The observatory will be managed and controlled from

Okayama Astrophysical Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murdin, P.

2000-11-01

The Okayama Astrophysical Observatory (OAO) is a branch Observatory of the NATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL OBSERVATORY, JAPAN. Its main facilities are 188 cm and 91 cm telescopes, equipped with newly built instruments with CCD/IR cameras (e.g. OASIS). OAO accepts nearly 300 astronomers a year, according to the observation program scheduled by the committee....

Report from the Gravitational Observatory Advisory Team

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mueller, Guido; Gravitational Observatory Advisory Team

2016-03-01

As a response to the selection of the Gravitational Universe as the science theme for ESA's L3 mission, ESA formed the Gravitational-Wave Observatory Advisory Team (GOAT) to advise ESA on the scientific and technological approach for a gravitational wave observatory. NASA is participating with three US scientists and one NASA observer; JAXA was also invited and participates with one observer. The GOAT looked at a range of mission technologies and designs, discussed their technical readiness with respect to the ESA schedule, recommended technology development activities for selected technologies, and worked with the wider gravitational-wave community to analyze the impact on the science of the various mission designs. The final report is expected to be submitted to ESA early March and I plan to summarize its content.

Job location decisions of pharmacy graduates in British Columbia.

PubMed

Pearson, Marion L; Andres, Lesley

2010-05-12

To determine the factors influencing pharmacy graduates' selection of their first professional job location. A survey was conducted of the 2007 graduating class of the University of British Columbia, examining hometown location, community and workplace factors, personal relationships, financial factors, and leisure activities. Responses were analyzed to determine whether community size or demographic characteristics affected the degree to which each factor influenced the job location decision. The majority of graduates moved from their hometowns to larger communities, mainly to the largest city in British Columbia. Most of those taking jobs in rural and remote communities grew up in or near those communities, and were more influenced by community size and anticipated working conditions, and less influenced by access to cultural and social activities, than their urban counterparts. The admission of students from rural and remote communities is modestly effective in ensuring a supply of pharmacists for these areas.

The Legacy of the Georgetown College Observatory (D.C.)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caron, Laura; Maglieri, Grace; Seitzer, Patrick

2018-01-01

Founded in 1841 as part of a nascent worldwide network of Jesuit-run astronomical observatories, the Georgetown College Observatory of Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. has been home to more than 125 years of astronomical research, from Father Curley’s calculations of the latitude and longitude of D.C. to Father McNally’s award-winning solar eclipse photography. But the impact of the Georgetown astronomy program was not limited to the observatory itself: it reached much further, into the local community and schools, and into the lives of everyone involved. This was never more apparent than under the directorship of Father Francis J Heyden, S.J., who arrived at Georgetown after World War II and stayed for almost three decades. He started a graduate program with over 90 graduates, hosting student researchers from local high schools and colleges, teaching graduate and undergraduate astronomy courses, and speaking at schools in the area, all while simultaneously managing Georgetown’s student radio station and hosting astronomical conferences on campus. Father Heyden’s research focused mainly on solar eclipses for geodetic purposes and planetary spectroscopy. But perhaps even more than research, Father Heyden dedicated his time and energy to the astronomy students, the notable of which include Vera Rubin, John P. Hagen of Project Vanguard, and a generation of Jesuit astronomers including Martin McCarthy, George Coyne, and Richard Boyle. Following the closure of the astronomy department in 1972, Father Heyden returned to Manila, where he had begun his astronomical career, to become Chief of the Solar Division at the Manila Observatory. His dedication to his work and to students serves as an inspiration for academic researchers across fields, and for the Georgetown University Astronomical Society, which, even in the absence of a formal astronomy program at Georgetown, continues his work in education and outreach today. In 1987, almost 150 years after its

Remote observing with the Nickel Telescope at Lick Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grigsby, Bryant; Chloros, Konstantinos; Gates, John; Deich, William T. S.; Gates, Elinor; Kibrick, Robert

2008-07-01

We describe a project to enable remote observing on the Nickel 1-meter Telescope at Lick Observatory. The purpose was to increase the subscription rate and create more economical means for graduate- and undergraduate students to observe with this telescope. The Nickel Telescope resides in a 125 year old dome on Mount Hamilton. Remote observers may work from any of the University of California (UC) remote observing facilities that have been created to support remote work at both Keck Observatory and Lick Observatory. The project included hardware and software upgrades to enable computer control of all equipment that must be operated by the astronomer; a remote observing architecture that is closely modeled on UCO/Lick's work to implement remote observing between UC campuses and Keck Observatory; new policies to ensure safety of Observatory staff and equipment, while ensuring that the telescope subsystems would be suitably configured for remote use; and new software to enforce the safety-related policies. The results increased the subscription rate from a few nights per month to nearly full subscription, and has spurred the installation of remote observing sites at more UC campuses. Thanks to the increased automation and computer control, local observing has also benefitted and is more efficient. Remote observing is now being implemented for the Shane 3- meter telescope.

Property and instrumental heritage of the Bordeaux Astronomical Observatory; What future?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de La Noë, J.; Charlot, P.; Grousset, F.

2009-11-01

In the years 1870, the Government of the Third Republic decided to develop scientific and technical research. Such an effort contributed to supporting and creating universities and other institutes such as astronomical observatories. The dual wish of the Bordeaux council and professors at the Faculté des Sciences de Bordeaux led to the foundation of the astronomical Observatory of Bordeaux. It was set up by Georges Rayet in the years 1880's. The observatory owns a property of 12 hectares with a dozen of buildings, five domes housing an instrument, a Würzburg radiotelescope, a 2.5 meter radiotelescope, and a large collection of about 250 instruments, 4 500 photographic plates, drawings, slides for teaching astronomy, maps of the Carte du Ciel and 200 files of archives. In addition, the library contains about a thousand books for the period 1600-1950. The future of the observatory is not clear at the present time, when the Laboratoire d'Astrophysique will leave to the campus in a few years.

Masters Program at Claremont and Other University Extension Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carroll, Ann-Marie, Ed.

1971-01-01

Descriptions of a liberal studies program at Claremont College, California; the University of British Columbia local government project; recent Syracuse University publications in continuing education; Kansas State University teleteaching efforts; the interinstitutional University without Walls" consortium; and the University of Washington…

Teaching astronomy and astrophysics at the Valencian International University (VIU): Application and use of Virtual Observatory tools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diago, P. D.; Gutiérrez-Soto, J.; Ruiz, J. E.; Solano, E.

2013-05-01

The Astronomy and Astrophysics Master, running at the Valencian International University (VIU, http://www.viu.es) since march 2010, is a clear example of how development of infor- mation and communication technologies (ICTs) and new e-learning methods are changing the traditional distance learning. In the context of the European Space for Higher Edu- cation (ESHE) we present how the Virtual Observatory (VO) tools can be an important part in the Astronomy and Astrophysics teaching. The described tasks has been carried out during the last three courses. These tasks are representative of the state of the art in Astrophysics research. We attach a description and a learning results list of each one of the presented tasks. The tasks can be downloaded at the Spanish VO website: http://svo.cab.inta-csic.es/docs/index.php?pagename=Education/VOcases

Financial Aid and Students' College Decisions: Evidence from the District of Columbia Tuition Assistance Grant Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abraham, Katharine G.; Clark, Melissa A.

2006-01-01

The District of Columbia Tuition Assistance Grant Program (DCTAG), instituted in 1999, allows D.C. residents to attend public colleges and universities throughout the country at considerably lower in-state tuition rates. We use the sharp decline in the price of public colleges and universities faced by D.C. residents to estimate the effects of…

Columbia Reconstruction Project Team

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-03-31

A member of the Columbia Reconstruction Project Team points to a search grid indicating locations where debris has been found. Approximately 4,500 ground searchers have covered approximately 56 percent of the planned 555,000-acre search area. About 28 percent of the Shuttle Columbia, by weight, has been delivered to the RLV Hangar to date.

Auroral research at the Tromsø Northern Lights Observatory: the Harang directorship, 1928-1946

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Egeland, Alv; Burke, William J.

2016-03-01

The Northern Lights Observatory in Tromsø began as Professor Lars Vegard's dream for a permanent facility in northern Norway, dedicated to the continuous study of auroral phenomenology and dynamics. Fortunately, not only was Vegard an internationally recognized spectroscopist, he was a great salesman and persuaded the Rockefeller Foundation that such an observatory represented an important long-term investment. A shrewd judge of talent, Vegard recognized the scientific and managerial skills of Leiv Harang, a recent graduate from the University of Oslo, and recommended that he become the observatory's first director. In 1929, subsequent to receiving the Rockefeller Foundation grant, the University of Oslo established a low temperature laboratory to support Vegard's spectroscopic investigations. This paper follows the scientific accomplishments of observatory personnel during the 18 years of Harang's directorship. These include: identifying the chemical sources of auroral emissions, discovering the Vegard-Kaplan bands, quantifying height distributions of different auroral forms, interpreting patterns of magnetic field variations, remotely probing auroral electron distribution profiles in the polar ionosphere, and monitoring the evolving states of the ozone layer. The Rockefeller Foundation judges got it right: the Tromsø Nordlysobservatoriet was, and for decades remained, an outstanding scientific investment.

Emplacement of Columbia River flood basalt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reidel, Stephen P.

1998-11-01

Evidence is examined for the emplacement of the Umatilla, Wilbur Creek, and the Asotin Members of Columbia River Basalt Group. These flows erupted in the eastern part of the Columbia Plateau during the waning phases of volcanism. The Umatilla Member consists of two flows in the Lewiston basin area and southwestern Columbia Plateau. These flows mixed to form one flow in the central Columbia Plateau. The composition of the younger flow is preserved in the center and the composition of the older flow is at the top and bottom. There is a complete gradation between the two. Flows of the Wilbur Creek and Asotin Members erupted individually in the eastern Columbia Plateau and also mixed together in the central Columbia Plateau. Comparison of the emplacement patterns to intraflow structures and textures of the flows suggests that very little time elapsed between eruptions. In addition, the amount of crust that formed on the earlier flows prior to mixing also suggests rapid emplacement. Calculations of volumetric flow rates through constrictions in channels suggest emplacement times of weeks to months under fast laminar flow for all three members. A new model for the emplacement of Columbia River Basalt Group flows is proposed that suggests rapid eruption and emplacement for the main part of the flow and slower emplacement along the margins as the of the flow margin expands.

The New York Brain Bank of Columbia University: practical highlights of 35 years of experience.

PubMed

Ramirez, Etty Paola Cortes; Keller, Christian Ernst; Vonsattel, Jean Paul

2018-01-01

The New York Brain Bank processes brains and organs of clinically well-characterized patients with age-related neurodegenerative diseases, and for comparison, from individuals without neurologic or psychiatric impairments. The donors, either patients or individuals, were evaluated at healthcare facilities of the Columbia University of New York. Each source brain yields four categories of samples: fresh frozen blocks and crushed parenchyma, and formalin-fixed wet blocks and histology sections. A source brain is thoroughly evaluated to determine qualitatively and quantitatively any changes it might harbor using conventional neuropathologic techniques. The clinical and pathologic diagnoses are integrated to determine the distributive diagnosis assigned to the samples obtained from a source brain. The gradual standardization of the protocol was developed in 1981 in response to the evolving requirements of basic investigations on neurodegeneration. The methods assimilate long-standing experience from multiple centers. The resulting and current protocol includes a constant central core applied to all brains with conditional flexibility around it. The New York Brain Bank is an integral part of the department of pathology, where the expertise, teaching duties, and hardware are shared. Since details of the protocols are available online, this chapter focuses on practical issues in professionalizing brain banking. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

McDonald Observatory Visitor Center Education Programs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hemenway, M. K.; Armosky, B. J.; Wetzel, M.; Preston, S.

2002-12-01

The opening of the new Visitor Center at McDonald Observatory in Fort Davis, Texas provided an opportunity to greatly expand the Observatory's outreach efforts to students and teachers. In addition to a theater, outdoor telescope park, and amphitheater, the facility contains a classroom and an exhibit entitled ``Decoding Starlight." In preparation for the opening, new teacher-friendly materials were written to provide standards aligned (both state and national) classroom activities for students. These activities form the core for both the multi-day Professional Development Program for teachers and the Student Field Experience Program. Student Field Experiences often begin with a tour specifically designed for student groups to emphasize careers and life at the Observatory. The group then interacts with the exhibit using Exhibit Guides that were developed for various grade levels. When their schedule allows, student groups may also participate in nighttime observing activities. Smaller groups (under 30 members) may choose from a menu of hands-on activities offered within the classroom. The positive reception of these activities has led to their inclusion in the existing Elderhostel program for senior citizens. We gratefully acknowledge the support of NSF 96-26965 ``Fingerprinting the Universe - An Interactive, Bilingual Exhibit on Spectroscopy," NSF 97-05340 ``Universo, Hispanic Heritage Month Programs, and StarDate in the Classroom," and NASA IDEAS HST-ED-90234-.01 ``Enriching the Experience at McDonald Observatory: Pre/Post Visit Materials for Teachers and Students."

University of Hawaii Institute for Astronomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2001-01-01

The Institute for Astronomy (IfA) is the astronomical research organization of the University of Hawaii (UH). Its headquarters is located in Honolulu on the island of Oahu near the University of Hawaii at Manoa, the main UH cam-pus. The IfA is responsible for administering and maintaining the infrastructure for Haleakala Observatories on the island of Maui and for Mauna Kea Observatories (MKO) on the island of Hawaii.

The Little Thompson Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schweitzer, A.; Melsheimer, T.; Sackett, C.

1999-05-01

The Little Thompson Observatory is believed to be the first observatory built as part of a high school and accessible to other schools remotely, via the Internet. This observatory is the second member of the Telescopes in Education (TIE) project. Construction of the building and dome has been completed, and first light is planned for spring 1999. The observatory is located on the grounds of Berthoud High School in northern Colorado. Local schools and youth organizations will have prioritized access to the telescope, and there will also be opportunities for public viewing. After midnight, the telescope will be open to world-wide use by schools via the Internet following the model of the first TIE observatory, the 24" telescope on Mt. Wilson. Students remotely connect to the observatory over the Internet, and then receive the images on their local computers. The observatory grew out of grassroots support from the local community surrounding Berthoud, Colorado, a town of 3,500 residents. TIE has provided the observatory with a Tinsley 18" Cassegrain telescope on a 10-year loan. The facility has been built with tremendous support from volunteers and the local school district. We have received an IDEAS grant to provide teacher training workshops which will allow K-12 schools in northern Colorado to make use of the Little Thompson Observatory, including remote observing from classrooms.

The high energy astronomy observatories

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Neighbors, A. K.; Doolittle, R. F.; Halpers, R. E.

1977-01-01

The forthcoming NASA project of orbiting High Energy Astronomy Observatories (HEAO's) designed to probe the universe by tracing celestial radiations and particles is outlined. Solutions to engineering problems concerning HEAO's which are integrated, yet built to function independently are discussed, including the onboard digital processor, mirror assembly and the thermal shield. The principle of maximal efficiency with minimal cost and the potential capability of the project to provide explanations to black holes, pulsars and gamma-ray bursts are also stressed. The first satellite is scheduled for launch in April 1977.

The Observatory as Laboratory: Spectral Analysis at Mount Wilson Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brashear, Ronald

2018-01-01

This paper will discuss the seminal changes in astronomical research practices made at the Mount Wilson Observatory in the early twentieth century by George Ellery Hale and his staff. Hale’s desire to set the agenda for solar and stellar astronomical research is often described in terms of his new telescopes, primarily the solar tower observatories and the 60- and 100-inch telescopes on Mount Wilson. This paper will focus more on the ancillary but no less critical parts of Hale’s research mission: the establishment of associated “physical” laboratories as part of the observatory complex where observational spectral data could be quickly compared with spectra obtained using specialized laboratory equipment. Hale built a spectroscopic laboratory on the mountain and a more elaborate physical laboratory in Pasadena and staffed it with highly trained physicists, not classically trained astronomers. The success of Hale’s vision for an astronomical observatory quickly made the Carnegie Institution’s Mount Wilson Observatory one of the most important astrophysical research centers in the world.

The old Jesuit observatory in Graz. (German Title: Die alte Jesuiten-Sternwarte in Graz)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steinmayr, Johann; Müller, Isolde; Posch, Thomas

2011-08-01

We give a brief overview of the development of astronomical research at the University of Graz from the 16th to the 18th century. This period is intimately connected to the activities of the Jesuit Order and to the counter-reformation in Inner Austria (a territory roughly corresponding to today's Styria, Carinthia, Slovenia and the County of Görz in Italy). Since the opening of the University in 1585, several Jesuits achieved distinction as mathematicians, physicists and astronomers in Graz. Among them are Paul Guldin, who corresponded with Johannes Kepler and died in Graz in 1643, as well as Leopold Biwald and Karl Tirnberger. Between 1745 and 1774, the Jesuit University of Graz also had a chair of astronomy and an observatory. The chair and the observatory were well endowed at the beginning, but later on neglected by their former funders and closed down after less than 30 years. Efforts to re-establish an observatory at Graz at the beginning of the 19th century failed. They were successful only towards the end of the 19th century, which is however a period beyond the scope of the present paper.

Astronomical observatories

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ponomarev, D. N.

1983-01-01

The layout and equipment of astronomical observatories, the oldest scientific institutions of human society are discussed. The example of leading observatories of the USSR allows the reader to familiarize himself with both their modern counterparts, as well as the goals and problems on which astronomers are presently working.

The role of geomagnetic observatory data during the Swarm mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ridley, Victoria; Macmillan, Susan; Beggan, Ciaran

2014-05-01

The scientific use of Swarm magnetic data and Swarm-derived products is greatly enhanced through combination with observatory data and indices. The strength of observatory data is their long-term accuracy, with great care being taken to ensure temperature control and correction, platform stability and magnetic cleanliness at each site. Observatory data are being distributed with Swarm data as an auxiliary product. We describe the preparation of the data set of ground observatory hourly mean values, including procedures to check and select observatory data spanning the modern magnetic survey satellite era. Existing collaborations, such as INTERMAGNET and the World Data Centres for Geomagnetism, are proving invaluable for this. We also discuss how observatory measurements are being used to ground-truth Swarm data as part of the Calibration/Validation effort. Recent efforts to improve the coverage and timeliness of observatory data have been encouraged and now over 60 INTERMAGNET observatories and several other high-quality observatories are providing close-to-definitive data within 3 months of measurement. During the Calibration/Validation period these data are gathered and homogenised on a regular basis by BGS. We then identify measurements collected during overhead passes of the Swarm satellites. For each pass, we remove an estimate of the main field from both the data collected at altitude and that collected on the ground. Both sets of data are then normalised relative to the data variance during all passes in the Calibration/Validation period. The absolute differences of the two sets of normalised data can be used as a metric of satellite data quality relative to observatory data quality. This can be examined by universal time, local time, disturbance level and geomagnetic latitude, for example. A preliminary study of CHAMP data, using definitive minute mean observatory data, has shown how this approach can provide a baseline for detecting abnormalities at all

Propagation of Regional Phases in the Basin and Range

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-02-02

complex miultiple rupture, Bull. Seusmol. Soc. Am., 57, 1017 W i23 K un.rT~I, "aind G. S. Stew art, Seismologica aspects of she Gutemala 1967...Fred K. Lamb Prof. William Menke University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory Department of Physics of Columbia

Geomagnetic Observatory Data for Real-Time Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Love, J. J.; Finn, C. A.; Rigler, E. J.; Kelbert, A.; Bedrosian, P.

2015-12-01

The global network of magnetic observatories represents a unique collective asset for the scientific community. Historically, magnetic observatories have supported global magnetic-field mapping projects and fundamental research of the Earth's interior and surrounding space environment. More recently, real-time data streams from magnetic observatories have become an important contributor to multi-sensor, operational monitoring of evolving space weather conditions, especially during magnetic storms. In this context, the U.S. Geological Survey (1) provides real-time observatory data to allied space weather monitoring projects, including those of NOAA, the U.S. Air Force, NASA, several international agencies, and private industry, (2) collaborates with Schlumberger to provide real-time geomagnetic data needed for directional drilling for oil and gas in Alaska, (3) develops products for real-time evaluation of hazards for the electric-power grid industry that are associated with the storm-time induction of geoelectric fields in the Earth's conducting lithosphere. In order to implement strategic priorities established by the USGS Natural Hazards Mission Area and the National Science and Technology Council, and with a focus on developing new real-time products, the USGS is (1) leveraging data management protocols already developed by the USGS Earthquake Program, (2) developing algorithms for mapping geomagnetic activity, a collaboration with NASA and NOAA, (3) supporting magnetotelluric surveys and developing Earth conductivity models, a collaboration with Oregon State University and the NSF's EarthScope Program, (4) studying the use of geomagnetic activity maps and Earth conductivity models for real-time estimation of geoelectric fields, (5) initiating geoelectric monitoring at several observatories, (6) validating real-time estimation algorithms against historical geomagnetic and geoelectric data. The success of these long-term projects is subject to funding constraints

The Little Thompson Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schweitzer, A.; Melsheimer, T.; Rideout, C.; Vanlew, K.

1998-12-01

The Little Thompson Observatory is believed to be the first observatory built as part of a high school and accessible to other schools remotely, via the Internet. This observatory is the second member of the Telescopes in Education (TIE) project. Construction is nearly completed and first light is planned for fall 1998. The observatory is located on the grounds of Berthoud High School in northern Colorado. Local schools and youth organizations will have prioritized access to the telescope, and there will also be opportunities for public viewing. After midnight, the telescope will be open to world-wide use by schools via the Internet following the model of the first TIE observatory, the 24" telescope on Mt. Wilson. That telescope has been in use for the past four years by up to 50 schools per month. Students remotely connect to the observatory over the Internet, and then receive the images on their local computers. The observatory grew out of grassroots support from the local community surrounding Berthoud, Colorado, a town of 3,500 residents. TIE has provided the observatory with a Tinsley 18" Cassegrain telescope on a 10-year loan. The facility has been built with tremendous support from volunteers and the local school district. We have applied for an IDEAS grant to provide teacher training workshops which will allow K-12 schools in northern Colorado to make use of the Little Thompson Observatory, including remote observing from classrooms.

Mission Study for Generation-X: A Large Area and High Angular Observatory to Study the Early Universe

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brissenden, Roger

2005-01-01

In this report we provide a summary of the technical progress achieved during the last year Generation-X Vision Mission Study. In addition, we provide a brief programmatic status. The Generation-X (Gen-X) Vision Mission Study investigates the science requirements, mission concepts and technology drivers for an X-ray telescope designed to study the new frontier of astrophysics: the birth and evolution of the first stars, galaxies and black holes in the early Universe. X-ray astronomy offers an opportunity to detect these via the activity of the black holes, and the supernova explosions and gamma-ray burst afterglows of the massive stars. However, such objects are beyond the grasp of current missions which are operating or even under development. Our team has conceived a Gen-X Vision Mission based on an X-ray observatory with 100 m2 collecting area at 1 keV (1000 times larger than Chandra) and 0.1 arcsecond angular resolution (several times better than Chandra and 50 times better than the Constellation-X resolution goal). Such a high energy observatory will be capable of detecting the earliest black holes and galaxies in the Universe, and will also study extremes of density, gravity, magnetic fields, and kinetic energy which cannot be created in laboratories. In our study we develop the mission concept and define candidate technologies and performance requirements for Gen-X. The baseline Gen-X mission involves four 8 m diameter X-ray telescopes operating at Sun-Earth L2. We trade against an alternate concept of a single 26 m diameter telescope with focal plane instruments on a separate spacecraft. A telescope of this size will require either robotic or human-assisted in-flight assembly. The required effective area implies that extremely lightweight grazing incidence X-ray optics must be developed. To achieve the required areal density of at least 100 times lower than for Chandra, we study 0.2 mm thick mirrors which have active on-orbit figure control. We also study

Project of space research and technology center in Engelhardt astronomical observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nefedyev, Y.; Gusev, A.; Sherstukov, O.; Kascheev, R.; Zagretdinov, R.

2012-09-01

Today on the basis of Engelhardt astronomical observatory (EAO) is created Space research and technology center as consistent with Program for expansion of the Kazan University. The Centre has the following missions: • EDUCATION • SCIENCE • ASTRONOMICAL TOURISM

WNCC Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Snyder, L. F.

2003-05-01

Western Nevada Community College (WNCC), located in Carson City, Nevada, is a small two year college with only 6,000 students. Associate degrees and Cer- tificates of Achievement are awarded. The college was built and started classes in 1971 and about 12 years ago the chair of the physics department along with a few in administration had dreams of building a small observatory for education. Around that time a local foundation, Nevada Gaming Foundation for Education Excellence, was looking for a beneficiary in the education field to receive a grant. They decided an observatory at the college met their criteria. Grants to the foundation instigated by Senators, businesses, and Casinos and donations from the local public now total $1.3 million. This paper will explain the different facets of building the observatory, the planning, construction, telescopes and equipment decisions and how we think it will operate for the public, education and research. The organization of local volunteers to operate and maintain the observatory and the planned re- search will be explained.

``Route of astronomical observatories'' project: Classical observatories from the Renaissance to the rise of astrophysics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wolfschmidt, Gudrun

2016-10-01

Observatories offer a good possibility for serial transnational applications. For example one can choose groups like baroque or neoclassical observatories, solar physics observatories or a group of observatories equipped with the same kind of instruments or made by famous firms. I will discuss what has been achieved and show examples, like the route of astronomical observatories, the transition from classical astronomy to modern astrophysics. I will also discuss why the implementation of the World Heritage & Astronomy initiative is difficult and why there are problems to nominate observatories for election in the national tentative lists.

The NCU Lu-Lin Observatory Survived the Taiwan 921 Earthquake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsay, W. S.; Chang, K. H.; Li, H. H.

1999-12-01

The NCU (National Central University) Lu-Lin Observatory is located at Mt. Front Lu-Lin, 120o 52' 25" E and 23o 28' 07" N, a 2862-m peak in the Yu-Shan National Park. The construction of Lu-Lin Observatory was finished in January 1999. Fortunately the Lu-Lin Observatory survived the Taiwan 921 Earthquake that was 7.3 on the Ritcher scale. We are proud of the design of Lu-Lin Observatory adopted H-beam and steel wall even the center of earthquake was only 40 km away. The initial study of Lu-Lin site was started since late 1989. Later on, a three-year project was founded by the National Science Council , which supported the development of a modern seeing monitor for this site survey study from 1990 through 1993. The average seeing of Lu-Lin site is about 1.39 arc-second with average 200 clear nights annually. The sky background of this site is 20.72 mag/arcsec2 in V band and 21.22 mag/arcsec2 in B band. The Lu-Lin observatory is developed for both research and education activity. A homemade 76-cm Super Light Telescope (SLT) and three TAOS's 50-cm robotic telescopes will be the two major research facilities. This work is supported by the National Science Council of Taiwan.

EUSO-SPB2: Second Generation Extreme Universe Space Observatory on a SuperPressure Balloon, Colorado School of Mines Co-I

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiencke, Lawrence

This is a Co-Investigator Proposal for EUSO-SPB2, second generation Extreme Universe Space Observatory on a Super-Pressure Balloon. The PI is Angela V. Olinto (University of Chicago) Co-Is at Marshall Space Flight Center (Institution PI, M. Christl), Colorado School of Mines (Institution PI, L.Wiencke), University of Alabama Huntsville (Institution PI, P. Reardon), and Lehman College, CUNY (Institution PI, L. Anchordoqui). We propose to design, build, deploy, and publish the scientific results of a second generation of the Extreme Universe Space Observatory (EUSO), to be flown aboard a Super-Pressure Balloon (SBP). EUSO-SPB2 will monitor the night sky of the Southern hemisphere to study cosmic rays of very high to ultrahigh energies and pioneer the search for cosmogenic tau neutrinos from space. EUSO-SPB2 will be the first instrument to observe Cherenkov light from extensive airshowers high in the atmosphere. EUSO-SPB2 will observe a large sample of cosmic rays from 0.1 to 1 EeV with the Cherenkov technique and will discriminate among the Cherenkov profiles of primary protons, heavy nuclei, and photons. It will also characterize the background for upward going showers initiated by the decay of tau leptons, which are expected to be produced by Earth-skimming tau neutrinos. A coincidence veto will be developed for EUSO-SPB2 so it can characterize the background for Cherenkov signals from the neutrino produced tau leptons. EUSO-SPB2 will also use fluorescence observations to measure, for the first time, the evolution of nearly horizontal high altitude extensive air showers, which develop at the nearly constant low-density atmosphere. Such measurements will provide a unique channel to probe hadronic interaction models at ultrahigh energies, and may elucidate the reason why ultrahigh-energy cosmic ray (UHECR) showers observed by ground-based detectors contain more muons than expected from hadronic interaction models. EUSO-SPB2 is a pathfinder for the more ambitious

Howard University: A Comparative Fiscal Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Inman, Deborah; And Others

This report presents a fiscal analysis of Howard University (District of Columbia) including: (1) general education revenues; (2) education and general expenditures; and (3) faculty salaries. The study compared Howard University to four different groups of higher education institutions: similar private institutions with hospitals; public…

The National Astronomical Observatory of Japan and Post-war Japanese Optical Astronomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tajima, Toshiyuki

This paper depicts some aspects of the formative process of the Japanese optical and infrared astronomical community in the post-war period, featuring the transition of the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan(NAOJ). We take up three cases of telescope construction, examining their background and their contribution to the Japanese astronomical community. Through these cases, the characteristics of traditions and cultures of optical and infrared astronomy in Japan are considered. Although the Tokyo Astronomical Observatory (TAO) of the University of Tokyo, the predecessor of NAOJ, was originally founded as an agency for practical astronomical observation such as time and almanac service, it has become an international centre for all types of astrophysical research. Research and development of telescopes and observational instruments have become an important part of the astronomers' practice. Now, however, a number of Japanese universities are planning to have their own large to middle-sized telescopes, and a new style of astronomical research is emerging involving astrophysical studies utilising data acquired from the Virtual Observatory, so there is a distinct possibility that the status of the NAOJ will change even further in the future.

Columbia Reconstruction Project Team

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-04-15

Members of the Columbia Reconstruction Project team gather for a group photo around an enlarged replica of the STS-107 crew emblem just delivered to the RLV Hangar. The emblem will be installed on an outside wall of the hangar. Inside the hangar, the team is identifying pieces of Columbia debris as they arrive at Kennedy Space Center and placing them on a grid approximating the shape of the orbiter.

Robotic Spectroscopy at the Dark Sky Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosenberg, Daniel E.; Gray, Richard O.; Mashburn, Jonathan; Swenson, Aaron W.; McGahee, Courtney E.; Briley, Michael M.

2018-06-01

Spectroscopic observations using the classification-resolution Gray-Miller spectrograph attached to the Dark Sky Observatory 32 inch telescope (Appalachian State University, North Carolina) have been automated with a robotic script called the “Robotic Spectroscopist” (RS). RS runs autonomously during the night and controls all operations related to spectroscopic observing. At the heart of RS are a number of algorithms that first select and center the target star in the field of an imaging camera and then on the spectrograph slit. RS monitors the observatory weather station, and suspends operations and closes the dome when weather conditions warrant, and can reopen and resume observations when the weather improves. RS selects targets from a list using a queue-observing protocol based on observer-assigned priorities, but also uses target-selection criteria based on weather conditions, especially seeing. At the end of the night RS transfers the data files to the main campus, where they are reduced with an automatic pipeline. Our experience has shown that RS is more efficient and consistent than a human observer, and produces data sets that are ideal for automatic reduction. RS should be adaptable for use at other similar observatories, and so we are making the code freely available to the astronomical community.

The SOAR Telescope Project Southern Observatory for Astronomical Research (SOAR)

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-03-21

completed SOAR dome and facility. 2. Dome The preliminary design of the dome was handled by M3 (US). A Brazilian firm, Equatorial Sistemas led the...for the Gemini Telescope during construction, now Project Manager at the National Solar Observatory • Robert Shelton, Provost of the University on

The Great American University: Maintaining Our Preeminence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cole, Jonathan R.

2011-01-01

American research universities are arguably the world's most powerful engines of innovation and discovery. Yet they are widely misunderstood and in danger of losing their capacity to drive economic progress and improve our lives. Jonathan Cole, John Mitchell Mason University Professor at Columbia University, notes that the preeminence of American…

The IRIS network site at the Wilcox Solar Observatory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoeksema, J. T.; Scherrer, P. H.

1991-01-01

The site for the International Research on the Interior of the Sun (IRIS) instrument housed at the Wilcox Solar Observatory at Stanford University (near San Francisco, USA) is described together with the instrument operation procedure. The IRIS instrument, which measures global oscillations of the sun, operates continuously every clear day since it was installed in August 1987.

Astronomical publications of Melbourne Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andropoulos, Jenny Ioanna

2014-05-01

During the second half of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century, four well-equipped government observatories were maintained in Australia - in Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide and Perth. These institutions conducted astronomical observations, often in the course of providing a local time service, and they also collected and collated meteorological data. As well, some of these observatories were involved at times in geodetic surveying, geomagnetic recording, gravity measurements, seismology, tide recording and physical standards, so the term "observatory" was being used in a rather broad sense! Despite the international renown that once applied to Williamstown and Melbourne Observatories, relatively little has been written by modern-day scholars about astronomical activities at these observatories. This research is intended to rectify this situation to some extent by gathering, cataloguing and analysing the published astronomical output of the two Observatories to see what contributions they made to science and society. It also compares their contributions with those of Sydney, Adelaide and Perth Observatories. Overall, Williamstown and Melbourne Observatories produced a prodigious amount of material on astronomy in scientific and technical journals, in reports and in newspapers. The other observatories more or less did likewise, so no observatory of those studied markedly outperformed the others in the long term, especially when account is taken of their relative resourcing in staff and equipment.

9000 years of salmon fishing on the Columbia River, North America

USGS Publications Warehouse

Butler, V.L.; O'Connor, J. E.

2004-01-01

A large assemblage of salmon bones excavated 50 yr ago from an ???10,000-yr-old archaeological site near The Dalles, Oregon, USA, has been the primary evidence that early native people along the Columbia River subsisted on salmon. Recent debate about the human role in creating the deposit prompted excavation of additional deposits and analysis of archaeologic, geologic, and hydrologic conditions at the site. Results indicate an anthropogenic source for most of the salmonid remains, which have associated radiocarbon dates indicating that the site was occupied as long ago as 9300 cal yr B.P. The abundance of salmon bone indicates that salmon was a major food item and suggests that migratory salmonids had well-established spawning populations in some parts of the Columbia Basin by 9300-8200 yr ago. ?? 2004 University of Washington. All rights reserved.

Athabasca University Fact Book 1981-1982.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smyrnew, John

Comprehensive information on Athabasca University, Alberta, Canada, is provided for 1981-1982. The univeristy collaborates with other institutions, notably the Universities of Alberta and Calgary, the Native Education Council, and North Island College in British Columbia. To promote understanding of the statistical data, a narrative description of…

Exercise behaviour and attitudes among fourth-year medical students at the University of British Columbia.

PubMed

Holtz, Kaila A; Kokotilo, Kristen J; Fitzgerald, Barbara E; Frank, Erica

2013-01-01

To describe the physical activity (PA) levels and counseling attitudes of Canadian undergraduate medical students. Online or paper survey. The University of British Columbia (UBC). Fourth-year medical students at UBC from 2007 to 2010. Physical activity levels, relationship between exercise behaviour and attitudes toward counseling, and student perception of training in the area of exercise prescription. A total of 546 out of 883 students participated in the survey (62% response rate). Sixty-four percent of students met the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology 2011 recommendations for PA. Attitudes toward healthy living were related to PA levels, but the rate of counseling patients about exercise was not; however, students who engaged in more strenuous PA were more likely to perceive exercise counseling as being highly relevant to future clinical practice (P = .018). Overall, 69% of students perceived exercise counseling to be highly relevant to clinical practice, but 86% thought that their training in this area was less than extensive. Fourth-year UBC medical students engage in more strenuous PA than average age-matched Canadians, which affects their attitudes toward perceived future counseling practices. Encouraging more student participation in strenuous PA and encouraging academic training in the area of exercise counseling might be important next steps in preparing future physicians to effectively prescribe exercise to their patients.

Enabling Remote and Automated Operations at The Red Buttes Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ellis, Tyler G.; Jang-Condell, Hannah; Kasper, David; Yeigh, Rex R.

2016-01-01

The Red Buttes Observatory (RBO) is a 60 centimeter Cassegrain telescope located ten miles south of Laramie, Wyoming. The size and proximity of the telescope comfortably make the site ideal for remote and automated observations. This task required development of confidence in control systems for the dome, telescope, and camera. Python and WinSCP script routines were created for the management of science images and weather. These scripts control the observatory via the ASCOM standard libraries and allow autonomous operation after initiation.The automation tasks were completed primarily to rejuvenate an aging and underutilized observatory with hopes to contribute to an international exoplanet hunting team with other interests in potentially hazardous asteroid detection. RBO is owned and operated solely by the University of Wyoming. The updates and proprietor status have encouraged the development of an undergraduate astronomical methods course including hands-on experience with a research telescope, a rarity in bachelor programs for astrophysics.

The Little Thompson Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schweitzer, A. E.; VanLew, K.; Melsheimer, T.; Sackett, C.

1999-12-01

The Little Thompson Observatory is the second member of the Telescopes in Education (TIE) project. Construction of the dome and the remote control system has been completed, and the telescope is now on-line and operational over the Internet. The observatory is located on the grounds of Berthoud High School in northern Colorado. Local schools and youth organizations have prioritized access to the telescope, and there are monthly opportunities for public viewing. In the future, the telescope will be open after midnight to world-wide use by schools following the model of the first TIE observatory, the 24" telescope on Mt. Wilson. Students remotely connect to the observatory over the Internet, and then receive the images on their local computers. The observatory grew out of grassroots support from the local community surrounding Berthoud, Colorado, a town of 3,500 residents. TIE has provided the observatory with a Tinsley 18" Cassegrain telescope on a 10-year loan. The facility has been built with tremendous support from volunteers and the local school district. With funding from an IDEAS grant, we have begun teacher training workshops which will allow K-12 schools in northern Colorado to make use of the Little Thompson Observatory, including remote observing from classrooms.

NASA Awards Chandra X-Ray Observatory Follow-On Contract

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2003-08-01

NASA has awarded a contract to the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in Cambridge, Mass., to provide science and operational support for the Chandra X-ray Observatory, one of the world's most powerful tools to better understand the structure and evolution of the universe. The contract will have a period of performance from August 31, 2003, through July 31, 2010, with an estimated value of 373 million. It is a follow-on contract to the existing contract with Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory that has provided science and operations support to the Observatory since its launch in July 1999. At launch the intended mission life was five years. As a result of Chandra's success, NASA extended the mission from five to 10 years. The value of the original contract was 289 million. The follow-on contract with the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory will continue through the 10-year mission. The contract type is cost reimbursement with no fee. The contract covers mission operations and data analysis, which includes the observatory operations, science data processing and the general and guaranteed time observer (astronomer) support. The observatory operations tasks include monitoring the health and status of the observatory and developing and up linking the observation sequences during Chandra's communication coverage periods. The science data processing tasks include the competitive selection, planning, and coordination of science observations with the general observers and processing and delivery of the resulting scientific data. There are approximately 200 to 250 observing proposals selected annually out of about 800 submitted, with a total amount of observing time of about 20 million seconds. Chandra has exceeded expectations of scientists, giving them unique insight into phenomena light years away, such as exotic celestial objects, matter falling into black holes, and stellar explosions. X-ray astronomy can only be performed from space because Earth's atmosphere

Sphere of influence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

After years of New Age celebrity, the Biosphere 2 project is officially going legit. As part of a five-year management agreement, the staff of Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory will oversee the research, as well as the educational projects and tourism operations, of the enclosed prototype of Earth situated in the Arizona desert. A consortium of scientists from Harvard, Columbia, Stanford, Yale, the Smithsonian Institutions, the Australian National University, and several other institutions has already set about designing experiments in biogeochemistry, sustainable agriculture, climate change, biodiversity, and ecology. Plans also are being made to turn Biosphere 2 into a “science education center devoted exclusively to how the world works.”

Connections '96. Proceedings of a Faculty Conference (2nd, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, May 1996).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dayton-Sakari, Mary, Ed.; Miller, Carole S., Ed.; Liedtke, Werner, Ed.

This proceedings contains 19 papers presented at the second annual faculty conference at the University of Victoria (British Columbia, Canada). Papers cover a wide variety of disciplines, including preschool education, classroom communication, mathematics instruction, theater, attention deficit disorders, distance learning by rural home schoolers,…

Honors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2013-12-01

Twenty-three AGU members are among the newly elected fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, announced on 25 November 2013. They are Lance F. Bosart, University at Albany, State University of New York; William Henry Brune III, Pennsylvania State University; Robert H. Byrne, University of South Florida; Walter K. Dodds, Kansas State University; Sherilyn Claire Fritz, University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Kevin P. Furlong, Pennsylvania State University; Arnold L. Gordon, Columbia University; Thomas A. Herring, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Malcolm Hughes, University of Arizona; Thomas C. Johnson, University of Minnesota Duluth; Jack A. Kaye, NASA; Samuel P. Kounaves, Tufts University; Klaus S. Lackner, Columbia University; Yiqi Luo, University of Oklahoma; Jean-Bernard Minster, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego (UCSD); Kenneth H. Nealson, University of Southern California; Walter Clarkson Pitman III, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory; James E. Quick, Southern Methodist University; Ross J. Salawitch, University of Maryland, College Park; Didier Sornette, ETH Zürich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology); Michael Stein, University of Chicago; Bradley M. Tebo, Oregon Health and Science University; and Mark H. Thiemens, UCSD.

Three Short Videos by the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wessells, Stephen; Lowenstern, Jake; Venezky, Dina

2009-01-01

This is a collection of videos of unscripted interviews with Jake Lowenstern, who is the Scientist in Charge of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory (YVO). YVO was created as a partnership among the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Yellowstone National Park, and University of Utah to strengthen the long-term monitoring of volcanic and earthquake unrest in the Yellowstone National Park region. Yellowstone is the site of the largest and most diverse collection of natural thermal features in the world and the first National Park. YVO is one of the five USGS Volcano Observatories that monitor volcanoes within the United States for science and public safety. These video presentations give insights about many topics of interest about this area. Title: Yes! Yellowstone is a Volcano An unscripted interview, January 2009, 7:00 Minutes Description: USGS Scientist-in-Charge of Yellowstone Volcano Observatory, Jake Lowenstern, answers the following questions to explain volcanic features at Yellowstone: 'How do we know Yellowstone is a volcano?', 'What is a Supervolcano?', 'What is a Caldera?','Why are there geysers at Yellowstone?', and 'What are the other geologic hazards in Yellowstone?' Title: Yellowstone Volcano Observatory An unscripted interview, January 2009, 7:15 Minutes Description: USGS Scientist-in-Charge of Yellowstone Volcano Observatory, Jake Lowenstern, answers the following questions about the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory: 'What is YVO?', 'How do you monitor volcanic activity at Yellowstone?', 'How are satellites used to study deformation?', 'Do you monitor geysers or any other aspect of the Park?', 'Are earthquakes and ground deformation common at Yellowstone?', 'Why is YVO a relatively small group?', and 'Where can I get more information?' Title: Yellowstone Eruptions An unscripted interview, January 2009, 6.45 Minutes Description: USGS Scientist-in-Charge of Yellowstone Volcano Observatory, Jake Lowenstern, answers the following questions to explain volcanic

NASA's Space Shuttle Columbia: Synopsis of the Report of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Marcia S.

2003-01-01

NASA's space shuttle Columbia broke apart on February 1, 2003 as it returned to Earth from a 16-day science mission. All seven astronauts aboard were killed. NASA created the Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB), chaired by Adm. (Ret.) Harold Gehman, to investigate the accident. The Board released its report (available at [http://www.caib.us]) on August 26, 2003, concluding that the tragedy was caused by technical and organizational failures. The CAIB report included 29 recommendations, 15 of which the Board specified must be completed before the shuttle returns to flight status. This report provides a brief synopsis of the Board's conclusions, recommendations, and observations. Further information on Columbia and issues for Congress are available in CRS Report RS21408. This report will not be updated.

LIGO - The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abramovici, Alex; Althouse, William E.; Drever, Ronald W. P.; Gursel, Yekta; Kawamura, Seiji; Raab, Frederick J.; Shoemaker, David; Sievers, Lisa; Spero, Robert E.; Thorne, Kip S.

1992-01-01

The goal of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) Project is to detect and study astrophysical gravitational waves and use data from them for research in physics and astronomy. LIGO will support studies concerning the nature and nonlinear dynamics for gravity, the structures of black holes, and the equation of state of nuclear matter. It will also measure the masses, birth rates, collisions, and distributions of black holes and neutron stars in the universe and probe the cores of supernovae and the very early universe. The technology for LIGO has been developed during the past 20 years. Construction will begin in 1992, and under the present schedule, LIGO's gravitational-wave searches will begin in 1998.

NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory Unveils New Images

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-04-20

Madhulika Guhathakurta, far right, SDO Program Scientist at NASA Headquarters in Washington, speaks during a briefing to discuss recent images from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, or SDO, Wednesday, April 21, 2010, at the Newseum in Washington. Pictured from left of Dr. Guhathakurta's are: Tom Woods, principal investigator, Extreme Ultraviolet Variability Experiment instrument, Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado in Boulder; Philip H. Scherrer, principal investigator, Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager instrument, Stanford University in Palo Alto; Alan Title, principal investigator, Atmospheric Imaging Assembly instrument, Lockheed Martin Solar and Astrophysics Laboratory in Palo Alto and Dean Pesnell, SDO project scientist, Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. Photo Credit: (NASA/Carla Cioffi)

NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory Unveils New Images

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-04-20

Scientists involved in NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) mission attend a press conference to discuss recent images captured by the SDO spacecraft Wednesday, April 21, 2010, at the Newseum in Washington. Pictured right to left are: Madhulika Guhathakurta, SDO program scientist, NASA Headquarters in Washington; Tom Woods, principal investigator, Extreme Ultraviolet Variability Experiment instrument, Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado in Boulder; Philip H. Scherrer, principal investigator, Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager instrument, Stanford University in Palo Alto; Alan Title, principal investigator, Atmospheric Imaging Assembly instrument, Lockheed Martin Solar and Astrophysics Laboratory in Palo Alto and Dean Pesnell, SDO project scientist, Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. Photo Credit: (NASA/Carla Cioffi)

Tools for Coordinated Planning Between Observatories

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Jeremy; Fishman, Mark; Grella, Vince; Kerbel, Uri; Maks, Lori; Misra, Dharitri; Pell, Vince; Powers, Edward I. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

With the realization of NASA's era of great observatories, there are now more than three space-based telescopes operating in different wavebands. This situation provides astronomers with a unique opportunity to simultaneously observe with multiple observatories. Yet scheduling multiple observatories simultaneously is highly inefficient when compared to observations using only one single observatory. Thus, programs using multiple observatories are limited not due to scientific restrictions, but due to operational inefficiencies. At present, multi-observatory programs are conducted by submitting observing proposals separately to each concerned observatory. To assure that the proposed observations can be scheduled, each observatory's staff has to check that the observations are valid and meet all the constraints for their own observatory; in addition, they have to verify that the observations satisfy the constraints of the other observatories. Thus, coordinated observations require painstaking manual collaboration among the observatory staff at each observatory. Due to the lack of automated tools for coordinated observations, this process is time consuming, error-prone, and the outcome of the requests is not certain until the very end. To increase observatory operations efficiency, such manpower intensive processes need to undergo re-engineering. To overcome this critical deficiency, Goddard Space Flight Center's Advanced Architectures and Automation Branch is developing a prototype effort called the Visual Observation Layout Tool (VOLT). The main objective of the VOLT project is to provide visual tools to help automate the planning of coordinated observations by multiple astronomical observatories, as well as to increase the scheduling probability of all observations.

Arecibo Observatory support of the US international cometary Explorer mission encounter at comet Giacobini-Zinner

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gordon, D. D.; Ward, M. T.

1986-01-01

The Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico participated in the support of the U.S. International Cometary Explorer (ICE) mission when the ICE spacecraft passed through the tail of comet Giacobini-Zinner on September 11, 1985. The Arecibo Observatory is a research facility of the National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center (NAIC) operated by Cornell University under contract to the National Science Foundation (NSF). Coverage of the encounter involved the use of the observatory's 305-m (1000-ft) radio reflector antenna and RF and data system equipment fabricated or modified specifically for support of the ICE mission. The successful implementation, testing, and operation of this temporary receive, record, and data relay capability resulted from a cooperative effort by personnel at the Arecibo Observatory, the Goddard Space Flight Center, and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Running a distributed virtual observatory: U.S. Virtual Astronomical Observatory operations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McGlynn, Thomas A.; Hanisch, Robert J.; Berriman, G. Bruce; Thakar, Aniruddha R.

2012-09-01

Operation of the US Virtual Astronomical Observatory shares some issues with modern physical observatories, e.g., intimidating data volumes and rapid technological change, and must also address unique concerns like the lack of direct control of the underlying and scattered data resources, and the distributed nature of the observatory itself. In this paper we discuss how the VAO has addressed these challenges to provide the astronomical community with a coherent set of science-enabling tools and services. The distributed nature of our virtual observatory-with data and personnel spanning geographic, institutional and regime boundaries-is simultaneously a major operational headache and the primary science motivation for the VAO. Most astronomy today uses data from many resources. Facilitation of matching heterogeneous datasets is a fundamental reason for the virtual observatory. Key aspects of our approach include continuous monitoring and validation of VAO and VO services and the datasets provided by the community, monitoring of user requests to optimize access, caching for large datasets, and providing distributed storage services that allow user to collect results near large data repositories. Some elements are now fully implemented, while others are planned for subsequent years. The distributed nature of the VAO requires careful attention to what can be a straightforward operation at a conventional observatory, e.g., the organization of the web site or the collection and combined analysis of logs. Many of these strategies use and extend protocols developed by the international virtual observatory community. Our long-term challenge is working with the underlying data providers to ensure high quality implementation of VO data access protocols (new and better 'telescopes'), assisting astronomical developers to build robust integrating tools (new 'instruments'), and coordinating with the research community to maximize the science enabled.

Connections '97. Proceedings of a Faculty Conference (3rd, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, May 1997).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liedtke, Werner, Ed.

This proceedings contains 17 papers presented at the third annual faculty conference at the University of Victoria (British Columbia, Canada). Papers cover a wide variety of disciplines and topics, including student teaching, athletics, researcher-teacher collaboration, hands-on science instruction, violence prevention, youth violence, counseling,…

Odessa Observatory as a Cultural and Scientific Educational Center on the Black Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karetnikov, V. G.; Dorokhova, T. N.

2007-10-01

Odessa is a large port city on the Black Sea. Historically, transport, economy and business problems call forth the necessity of a major astronomical center in the city. In 2006 the Astronomical Observatory of Odessa National University celebrates its 135th Anniversary. Some interesting astronomical buildings and instruments of the 19th and 20th centuries, and the extensive scientific investigations which are reflected in numerous publications make the Observatory not only a scientific and educational establishment but also an historical and cultural center.

Education and public outreach at the Carl Sagan Solar Observatory of the University of Sonora

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saucedo-Morales Julio; Loera-González, Pablo

2013-05-01

We discuss the importance of small solar observatories for EPO (Education and Public Outreach), mentioning why they are relevant and what kind of equipment and software require. We stress the fact that technological advances have made them affordable and that they should be widely available. This work is a result of our experience with one: The Carl Sagan Solar Observatory (CSSO). We briefly describe its status and the solar data obtained daily with students participation. We present examples of the data obtained in the visible, Ca II and two in Hα. Data which is widely used for education. Finally we talk about the capability for remote operation as an open invitation for collaboration in educational and scientific projects.

Education and public outreach at the Carl Sagan Solar Observatory of the University of Sonora.

PubMed

Saucedo-Morales, Julio; Loera-González, Pablo

2013-05-01

We discuss the importance of small solar observatories for EPO (Education and Public Outreach), mentioning why they are relevant and what kind of equipment and software require. We stress the fact that technological advances have made them affordable and that they should be widely available. This work is a result of our experience with one: The Carl Sagan Solar Observatory (CSSO). We briefly describe its status and the solar data obtained daily with students participation. We present examples of the data obtained in the visible, Ca II and two in Hα. Data which is widely used for education. Finally we talk about the capability for remote operation as an open invitation for collaboration in educational and scientific projects.

The Boulder magnetic observatory

USGS Publications Warehouse

Love, Jeffrey J.; Finn, Carol A.; Pedrie, Kolby L.; Blum, Cletus C.

2015-08-14

The Boulder magnetic observatory has, since 1963, been operated by the Geomagnetism Program of the U.S. Geological Survey in accordance with Bureau and national priorities. Data from the observatory are used for a wide variety of scientific purposes, both pure and applied. The observatory also supports developmental projects within the Geomagnetism Program and collaborative projects with allied geophysical agencies.

Water Quality Projects Summary for the Mid-Columbia and Cumberland River Systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stewart, Kevin M.; Witt, Adam M.; Hadjerioua, Boualem

Scheduling and operational control of hydropower systems is accompanied with a keen awareness of the management of water use, environmental effects, and policy, especially within the context of strict water rights policy and generation maximization. This is a multi-objective problem for many hydropower systems, including the Cumberland and Mid-Columbia river systems. Though each of these two systems have distinct operational philosophies, hydrologic characteristics, and system dynamics, they both share a responsibility to effectively manage hydropower and the environment, which requires state-of-the art improvements in the approaches and applications for water quality modeling. The Department of Energy and Oak Ridge Nationalmore » Laboratory have developed tools for total dissolved gas (TDG) prediction on the Mid-Columbia River and a decision-support system used for hydropower generation and environmental optimization on the Cumberland River. In conjunction with IIHR - Hydroscience & Engineering, The University of Iowa and University of Colorado s Center for Advanced Decision Support for Water and Environmental Systems (CADSWES), ORNL has managed the development of a TDG predictive methodology at seven dams along the Mid-Columbia River and has enabled the ability to utilize this methodology for optimization of operations at these projects with the commercially available software package Riverware. ORNL has also managed the collaboration with Vanderbilt University and Lipscomb University to develop a state-of-the art method for reducing high-fidelity water quality modeling results into surrogate models which can be used effectively within the context of optimization efforts to maximize generation for a reservoir system based on environmental and policy constraints. The novel contribution of these efforts is the ability to predict water quality conditions with simplified methodologies at the same level of accuracy as more complex and resource intensive computing

Columbia River Component Data Evaluation Summary Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

C.S. Cearlock

2006-08-02

The purpose of the Columbia River Component Data Compilation and Evaluation task was to compile, review, and evaluate existing information for constituents that may have been released to the Columbia River due to Hanford Site operations. Through this effort an extensive compilation of information pertaining to Hanford Site-related contaminants released to the Columbia River has been completed for almost 965 km of the river.

Comparison of Superconducting and Spring Gravimeters at the Mizusawa VLBI Observatory of the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miura, Satoshi; Ikeda, Hiroshi; Kim, Tae-Hee; Tamura, Yoshiaki

2017-04-01

Continuous microgravity monitoring is utilized to gain new insights into changes in the subsurface distribution of magma and/or fluid that commonly occur beneath active volcanoes. Rather new superconducting and spring gravimeters, iGrav#003 and gPhone#136 are collocated with a superconducting gravimeter, TT#70 at the Mizusawa VLBI Observatory of the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, since the end of September, 2016 in order to evaluate those performances before field deployment planned in 2017. Calibration of iGrav#003 was carried out by collocation with an absolute gravimeter FG5 of the Earthquake Research Institute, University of Tokyo (Okubo, 2016, personal comm.) at a Fundamental Gravity Station in Sendai in July, 2016. Based on the scale factors of iGrav#003 obtained by the calibration and of gPhone#136 provided by the manufacturer (Micro-g LaCoste, Inc.), tidal analyses are performed by means of BAYTAP-G (Tamura et al., 1991, GJI). Amplitudes and phases of each major tidal constituent mutually agree well within ±4 % and ±3 degrees, respectively. The instrumental drift rate of iGrav#003 is very low, about 5 micro-Gal/month, whereas that of gPhone#136 is very high, about 500 micro-Gal/month. The high drift rate of gPhone#136, however, is well approximated by a quadratic function at present and can be removed. The detrended time series of gPhone#136 shows good agreement with iGrav#003 time series in the overall feature: gravity fluctuations with amplitudes of about a few micro-Gal and with durations of a few days, which may be due to variations in the moisture content of the topmost unsaturated sedimentary layer and the water table height. It suggests that both instruments may capture volcanic signals associated with pressure changes in magma chambers, dike intrusion/withdrawing, and so on. iGrav#003 will be installed in the Zao volcanological observatory of Tohoku University located at about 3 km from the summit crater, and gPhone#136 will be

Implementing an Education and Outreach Program for the Gemini Observatory in Chile.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garcia, M. A.

2006-08-01

Beginning in 2001, the Gemini Observatory began the development of an innovative and aggressive education and outreach program at its Southern Hemisphere site in northern Chile. A principal focus of this effort is centered on local education and outreach to communities surrounding the observatory and its base facility in La Serena Chile. Programs are now established with local schools using two portable StarLab planetaria, an internet-based teacher exchange called StarTeachers and multiple partnerships with local educational institutions. Other elements include a CD-ROM-based virtual tour that allows students, teachers and the public to experience the observatory's sites in Chile and Hawaii. This virtual environment allows interaction using a variety of immersive scenarios such as a simulated observation using real data from Gemini. Pilot projects like "Live from Gemini" are currently being developed which use internet videoconferencing technologies to bring the observatory's facilities into classrooms at universities and remote institutions. Lessons learned from the implementation of these and other programs will be introduced and the challenges of developing educational programming in a developing country will be shared.

Status And Performance Of The Virgin Islands Robotic Telescope at Etelman Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morris, David C.; Gendre, Bruce; Neff, James E.; Giblin, Timothy W.

2016-01-01

The Virgin Islands Robotic Telescope is an 0.5m robotic telescope located at the easternmost and southernmost optical observatory in the United States at a latitude of 18.5N and longitude of 65W. The observatory is located on the island of St Thomas in the USVI. Astronomers from the College of Charleston, the US Air Force Academy, and the University of the Virgin Islands collaborate to maintain and operate the facility. The primary scientific focus of the facility is the optical follow-up of high-energy transients though a variety of other science interests are also being pursued including follow-up of candidate extra-solar planets, rotation studies of cool stars, and near-Earth asteroid and space situational awareness studies. The facility also supports a wide-reaching education and outreach program dedicated to raising the level of STEAM engagement and enrichment in the USVI. We detail the characteristics, capabilities, and early results from the observatory. The observatory is growing its staff and science activities and potential topics for collaboration will be discussed.

Education and public astronomy programs at the Carter Observatory: an overview

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orchiston, W.; Dodd, R. J.

1996-05-01

This paper outlines the extensive range of public programs offered by the Carter Observatory, including 'public nights', new planetarium and audio-visual shows, displays, the Carter Memorial Lectures, the annual 'Astronomical Handbook' and other publications, and a monthtly newspaper column and three monthly radio programs. It also deals with the Observatory's involvement in undergraduate and postgraduate astronomy at Victoria University of Wellington, various adult education training programs, holiday programs, and the recent development of the Education Service in response to the introduction of an Astronomy curriculum into schools throughout New Zealand. Some possible future developments in the public astronomy and education areas are also discussed.

The Willard L. Eccles Observatory: Commissioning and Development of Remote Operation Capabilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Springer, Wayne; Dawson, Kyle; Gondolo, Paolo; Ricketts, Paul; Ramsrud, Nicolas; Samarasingha, Upul

2011-03-01

The University of Utah completed construction of the Willard L. Eccles Observatory located on Frisco Peak near Milford, UT in October 2009. The observatory site is located on a prominent peak at an altitude of approximately 9600 feet in a region with minimal light pollution. The Frisco Peak site was chosen after careful consideration of many factors including climate, light pollution and available infrastructure. The facility houses a 32" telescope manufactured by DFM Engineering of Longmont, CO. Further development of remote operation capabilities is currently being undertaken. Monitoring of the weather and seeing conditions are being performed and confirm the excellent nature of the site for astronomical observations. The observatory facilities will be used for educational and public outreach activities as well as research projects. A description of the facility and its planned use will be provided.

Observatory for education and public outreach controlled through the World Wide Web

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guzik, T. Gregory; Motl, Patrick M.; Burks, Geoffrey S.; Fisher, Paul; Giammanco, James; Landolt, Arlo U.; Stacy, J. G.; Tohline, Joel E.; Wefel, Katrina

1998-05-01

For the last two and a half years the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Louisiana State University has been engaged in a collaborative effort with the Recreation and Park Commission for the Parish of East Baton Rouge and the Baton Rouge Astronomical Society to develop a observatory that can be used for astronomy education from primary school; through graduate studies as well as for recreation and public outreach. The observatory includes a 2,300 square feet facility, a 20-inch diameter Ritchey-Chretien telescope, a black-thinned CCD camera, a computer control system and an internet T1 link. The on site public outreach and education program has been fully active since Fall, 1997 and we are currently in the process of developing a platform- independent system for remotely controlling the observatory over the internet. The initial version of the Java/World Wide Web based software is currently functioning and provides interactive control of the observatory via any Java compatible web browser. The main principles of the remote control system are presented in this paper, along with a discussion of the education and outreach goals of the observatory, details of the facility and hardware, initial measurements of system performance, and a discussion of our future development plans.

sts093-s-013

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-06-27

STS093-S-013 (27 June 1999) --- In this fish-eye view, the Chandra X-ray Observatory rests inside the payload bay of the Space Shuttle Columbia at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC). Chandra is the primary payload on the STS-93 mission, scheduled to launch next month. The world's most powerful X-ray telescope, Chandra, will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of the universe.

The Virtual Observatory: I

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hanisch, R. J.

2014-11-01

The concept of the Virtual Observatory arose more-or-less simultaneously in the United States and Europe circa 2000. Ten pages of Astronomy and Astrophysics in the New Millennium: Panel Reports (National Academy Press, Washington, 2001), that is, the detailed recommendations of the Panel on Theory, Computation, and Data Exploration of the 2000 Decadal Survey in Astronomy, are dedicated to describing the motivation for, scientific value of, and major components required in implementing the National Virtual Observatory. European initiatives included the Astrophysical Virtual Observatory at the European Southern Observatory, the AstroGrid project in the United Kingdom, and the Euro-VO (sponsored by the European Union). Organizational/conceptual meetings were held in the US at the California Institute of Technology (Virtual Observatories of the Future, June 13-16, 2000) and at ESO Headquarters in Garching, Germany (Mining the Sky, July 31-August 4, 2000; Toward an International Virtual Observatory, June 10-14, 2002). The nascent US, UK, and European VO projects formed the International Virtual Observatory Alliance (IVOA) at the June 2002 meeting in Garching, with yours truly as the first chair. The IVOA has grown to a membership of twenty-one national projects and programs on six continents, and has developed a broad suite of data access protocols and standards that have been widely implemented. Astronomers can now discover, access, and compare data from hundreds of telescopes and facilities, hosted at hundreds of organizations worldwide, stored in thousands of databases, all with a single query.

Scientific results obtained by the Busot observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

García-Lozano, R.; Rodes, J. J.; Torrejón, J. M.; Bernabéu, G.; Berná, J. Á.

2016-12-01

We present the discovery of three new W UMa systems by our group as a part of a photometric follow-up of variable stars carried out with the Busot observatory 36 cm robotic telescope in collaboration with the X-ray astronomy group at University of Alicante (Alicante, Spain). Specifically we show the high limiting magnitude to detect moving objects (V˜ 21 mag), and the high stability and accuracy attained in photometry which allow us to measure very shallow planet transits.

Astronomical Honeymoon Continues as X-Ray Observatory Marks First Anniversary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2000-08-01

NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory celebrates its initial year in orbit with an impressive list of firsts. Through Chandra's unique X-ray vision, scientists have seen for the first time the full impact of a blast wave from an exploding star, a flare from a brown dwarf, and a small galaxy being cannibalized by a larger one. Chandra is the third in NASA's family of great observatories, complementing the Hubble Space Telescope and the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory. "Our goal is to identify never-before-seen phenomena, whether they're new or millions of years old. All this leads to a better understanding of our universe, " said Martin Weisskopf, chief project scientist for the Chandra program at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL. "Indeed, Chandra has changed the way we look at the universe." Chandra was launched in July 1999. After only two months in space, the observatory revealed a brilliant ring around the heart of the Crab Pulsar in the Crab Nebula ­ the remains of a stellar explosion ­ providing clues about how the nebula is energized by a pulsing neutron, or collapsed, star. Chandra also detected a faint X-ray source in the Milky Way galaxy, which may be the long-sought X-ray emission from the known massive black hole at the galaxy's center. A black hole is a region of space with so much concentrated mass there is no way for a nearby object, even light, to escape its gravitational pull. The observatory captured as well an image that revealed gas funneling into a massive black hole in the heart of a galaxy, two million light years from our own Milky Way, is much cooler than expected. "Chandra is teaching us to expect the unexpected about all sorts of objects ranging from comets in our solar system and relatively nearby brown dwarfs to distant black holes billions of light years away," said Harvey Tananbaum, director of the Chandra X-ray Center in Cambridge, MA. Perhaps one of Chandra's greatest contributions to X-ray astronomy is the resolution

Creating Griffith Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cook, Anthony

2013-01-01

Griffith Observatory has been the iconic symbol of the sky for southern California since it began its public mission on May 15, 1935. While the Observatory is widely known as being the gift of Col. Griffith J. Griffith (1850-1919), the story of how Griffith’s gift became reality involves many of the people better known for other contributions that made Los Angeles area an important center of astrophysics in the 20th century. Griffith began drawing up his plans for an observatory and science museum for the people of Los Angeles after looking at Saturn through the newly completed 60-inch reflector on Mt. Wilson. He realized the social impact that viewing the heavens could have if made freely available, and discussing the idea of a public observatory with Mt. Wilson Observatory’s founder, George Ellery Hale, and Director, Walter Adams. This resulted, in 1916, in a will specifying many of the features of Griffith Observatory, and establishing a committee managed trust fund to build it. Astronomy popularizer Mars Baumgardt convinced the committee at the Zeiss Planetarium projector would be appropriate for Griffith’s project after the planetarium was introduced in Germany in 1923. In 1930, the trust committee judged funds to be sufficient to start work on creating Griffith Observatory, and letters from the Committee requesting help in realizing the project were sent to Hale, Adams, Robert Millikan, and other area experts then engaged in creating the 200-inch telescope eventually destined for Palomar Mountain. A Scientific Advisory Committee, headed by Millikan, recommended that Caltech Physicist Edward Kurth be put in charge of building and exhibit design. Kurth, in turn, sought help from artist Russell Porter. The architecture firm of John C. Austin and Fredrick Ashley was selected to design the project, and they adopted the designs of Porter and Kurth. Philip Fox of the Adler Planetarium was enlisted to manage the completion of the Observatory and become its

Secure Wireless Networking at Simon Fraser University.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Worth

2003-01-01

Describes the wireless local area network (WLAN) at Simon Fraser University, British Columbia, Canada. Originally conceived to address computing capacity and reduce university computer space demands, the WLAN has provided a seamless computing environment for students and solved a number of other campus problems as well. (SLD)

Education and public outreach at the Carl Sagan Solar Observatory of the University of Sonora

PubMed Central

Saucedo-Morales, Julio; Loera-González, Pablo

2013-01-01

We discuss the importance of small solar observatories for EPO (Education and Public Outreach), mentioning why they are relevant and what kind of equipment and software require. We stress the fact that technological advances have made them affordable and that they should be widely available. This work is a result of our experience with one: The Carl Sagan Solar Observatory (CSSO). We briefly describe its status and the solar data obtained daily with students participation. We present examples of the data obtained in the visible, Ca II and two in Hα. Data which is widely used for education. Finally we talk about the capability for remote operation as an open invitation for collaboration in educational and scientific projects. PMID:25685436

High Energy Astronomy Observatory (HEAO)

NASA Image and Video Library

1978-01-01

Managed by the Marshall Space Flight Center and built by TRW, the second High Energy Astronomy Observatory was launched November 13, 1978. The observatory carried the largest X-ray telescope ever built and was renamed the Einstein Observatory after achieving orbit.

NIEHS/EPA CEHCs: Formative Center for the Evaluation of Environmental Impacts on Fetal Development - Brown University

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health (CCCEH) at Columbia University studies long-term health of urban pollutants on children raised in minority neighborhoods in inner-city communities.

Constellation X-Ray Observatory Unlocking the Mysteries of Black Holes, Dark Matter and Life Cycles of Matter in the Universe

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weaver, Kim; Wanjek, Christopher

2004-01-01

This document provides an overview of the Contellation X-Ray Observatory and its mission. The observatory consists of four x-ray telescopes borne on a satellite constellation at the Earth-Sun L2 point.

A continued program of planetary study at the University of Texas McDonald Observatory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Trafton, L.

1991-01-01

The program conducts solar system research in support of NASA missions and of general astronomical interest. Investigations of composition, physical characteristics and changes in solar system bodies are conducted primarily using the facilities of McDonald Observatory. Progress, accomplishments, and projected accomplishments are discussed.

The Little Thompson Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schweitzer, A.; VanLew, K.; Melsheimer, T.; Sackett, C.

2000-12-01

The Little Thompson Observatory is the second member of the Telescopes in Education (TIE) project. The observatory is located on the grounds of Berthoud High School in northern Colorado. The telescope is operational over the Internet, and we are now debugging the software to enable schools to control the telescope from classroom computers and take images. Local schools and youth organizations have prioritized access to the telescope, and there are monthly opportunities for public viewing. In the future, the telescope will be open after midnight to world-wide use by schools following the model of the first TIE observatory, the 24" telescope on Mt. Wilson. The observatory grew out of grassroots support from the local community surrounding Berthoud, Colorado, a town of 3,500 residents. TIE has provided the observatory with a Tinsley 18" Cassegrain telescope on a 10-year loan. The facility has been built with tremendous support from volunteers and the local school district. With funding from an IDEAS grant, we have completed the first teacher training workshops to allow K-12 schools in northern Colorado to make use of the Little Thompson Observatory, including remote observing from classrooms. The workshops were accredited by the school district, and received very favorable reviews.

The Penllergare Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Birks, J. L.

2005-12-01

This rather picturesque and historically important Victorian observatory was built by the wealthy John Dillwyn Llewelyn near to his mansion, some four miles north-west of Swansea, Wales. He had many scientific interests, in addition to astronomy, and was a notable pioneer of photography in Wales. Together with his eldest daughter, Thereza, (who married the grandson of the fifth Astronomer Royal, Nevil Maskelyne), he took some early photographs of the Moon from this site. This paper describes the construction of the observatory, and some of those primarily involved with it. Despite its having undergone restoration work in 1982, the state of the observatory is again the cause for much concern.

Twenty-first century brain banking. Processing brains for research: the Columbia University methods

PubMed Central

del Amaya, Maria Pilar; Keller, Christian E.

2007-01-01

Carefully categorized postmortem human brains are crucial for research. The lack of generally accepted methods for processing human postmortem brains for research persists. Thus, brain banking is essential; however, it cannot be achieved at the cost of the teaching mission of the academic institution by routing brains away from residency programs, particularly when the autopsy rate is steadily decreasing. A consensus must be reached whereby a brain can be utilizable for diagnosis, research, and teaching. The best diagnostic categorization possible must be secured and the yield of samples for basic investigation maximized. This report focuses on integrated, novel methods currently applied at the New York Brain Bank, Columbia University, New York, which are designed to reach accurate neuropathological diagnosis, optimize the yield of samples, and process fresh-frozen samples suitable for a wide range of modern investigations. The brains donated for research are processed as soon as possible after death. The prosector must have a good command of the neuroanatomy, neuropathology, and the protocol. One half of each brain is immersed in formalin for performing the thorough neuropathologic evaluation, which is combined with the teaching task. The contralateral half is extensively dissected at the fresh state. The anatomical origin of each sample is recorded using the map of Brodmann for the cortical samples. The samples are frozen at −160°C, barcode labeled, and ready for immediate disbursement once categorized diagnostically. A rigorous organization of freezer space, coupled to an electronic tracking system with its attached software, fosters efficient access for retrieval within minutes of any specific frozen samples in storage. This report describes how this achievement is feasible with emphasis on the actual processing of brains donated for research. PMID:17985145

Connections '99. Proceedings of a Faculty Conference (5th, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, May 1999).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gibbons, Sandra L., Ed.; Liedtke, Werner W., Ed.

This proceedings contains 13 papers from the 1999 annual conference of the Faculty of Education, University of Victoria (British Columbia). The papers are: (1) "Sacred and the Profane in Advertising Art" (Bill Zuk, Robert Dalton); (2) "Finding the Fund$ in Fun Run: Evaluating the Effectiveness and Efficiency of Physical Activity…

Connections '98. Proceedings of a Faculty Conference (4th, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, May 1998).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gibbons, Sandra L., Ed.; Anderson, John O., Ed.

This proceedings contains 13 papers from the 1998 annual Faculty of Education conference at the University of Victoria, British Columbia (Canada). The papers are: (1) "Struggling with Re-Presentation, Voice, and Self in Narrative Research" (Marla Arvay); (2) "Women's Soccer in Canada: A Slow Road to Equity" (Meredith Bogle,…

Ancient "Observatories" - A Relevant Concept?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belmonte, Juan Antonio

It is quite common, when reading popular books on astronomy, to see a place referred to as "the oldest observatory in the world". In addition, numerous books on archaeoastronomy, of various levels of quality, frequently refer to the existence of "prehistoric" or "ancient" observatories when describing or citing monuments that were certainly not built with the primary purpose of observing the skies. Internet sources are also guilty of this practice. In this chapter, the different meanings of the word observatory will be analyzed, looking at how their significances can be easily confused or even interchanged. The proclaimed "ancient observatories" are a typical result of this situation. Finally, the relevance of the concept of the ancient observatory will be evaluated.

The Virtual Solar Observatory and the Heliophysics Meta-Virtual Observatory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gurman, Joseph B.

2007-01-01

The Virtual Solar Observatory (VSO) is now able to search for solar data ranging from the radio to gamma rays, obtained from space and groundbased observatories, from 26 sources at 12 data providers, and from 1915 to the present. The solar physics community can use a Web interface or an Application Programming Interface (API) that allows integrating VSO searches into other software, including other Web services. Over the next few years, this integration will be especially obvious as the NASA Heliophysics division sponsors the development of a heliophysics-wide virtual observatory (VO), based on existing VO's in heliospheric, magnetospheric, and ionospheric physics as well as the VSO. We examine some of the challenges and potential of such a "meta-VO."

City of Columbia, Columbia, SC

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Located in the heart of South Carolina, Columbia (population 124,818) first experienced industrial growth along the Congaree, Saluda, and Broad Rivers. Plantations, cotton mills, trains, and other industries lined the riverbanks. The City claimed numerous vacant, dilapidated structures in the neighborhoods of the Congaree region. They included industrial, railroad, and petroleum properties. Uncertainties related to contamination inhibited redevelopment efforts in the region. Brownfield assessments helped the city to resolve some of the uncertainties, and increased the marketability of the sites to prospective purchasers and developers.

Design and development status of the University of Tokyo Atacama Observatory 6.5m telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morokuma, Tomoki; Aoki, Tsutomu; Doi, Mamoru; Handa, Toshihiro; Kamizuka, Takafumi; Kato, Natsuko; Kawara, Kimiaki; Kohno, Kotaro; Konishi, Masahiro; Koshida, Shintaro; Minezaki, Takeo; Miyata, Takashi; Motohara, Kentaro; Sako, Shigeyuki; Soyano, Takao; Takahashi, Hidenori; Tamura, Yoichi; Tanabe, Toshihiko; Tanaka, Masuo; Tarusawa, Ken'ichi; Yoshii, Yuzuru

2014-07-01

We here summarize the design and the current fabrication status for the University of Tokyo Atacama Observatory (TAO) 6.5-m telescope. The TAO telescope is operated at one of the best sites for infrared observations, at the summit of Co. Chajnantor in Chile, and is optimized for infrared observations. The telescope mount, mirrors, and mirror support systems are now at the final design phase. The mechanical and optical designs are done by following and referring to those of the Magellan telescopes, MMT, and Large Binocular Telescope. The final focal ratio is 12.2. The field-of-view is as wide as 25 arcmin in diameter and the plate scale is 2.75 arcsec mm-1. The F/1.25 light-weighted borosilicate (Ohara E6) honeycomb primary mirror is adopted and being fabricated by the Steward Observatory Mirror Laboratory. The primary mirror is supported by 104 loadspreaders bonded to the back surface of the mirror and 6 adjustable hardpoints. The mirror is actively controlled by adjusting the actuator forces based on the realtime wavefront measurement. The actuators are optimized for operation at high altitude of the site, 5640-m above the sea level, by considering the low temperature and low air pressure. The mirror is held in the primary mirror cell which is used as a part of the vacuum chamber when the mirror surface is aluminized without being detached from the cell. The pupil is set at the secondary mirror to minimize infrared radiation into instruments. The telescope has two Nasmyth foci for near-infrared and mid-infrared facility instruments (SWIMS and MIMIZUKU, respectively) and one folded-Caseggrain focus for carry-in instruments. At each focus, autoguider and wavefront measurement systems are attached to achieve seeing-limited image quality. The telescope mount is designed as a tripod-disk type alt-azimuth mount. Both the azimuthal and elevation axes are supported by and run on the hydrostatic bearings. Friction drives are selected for these axis drives. The telescope

Sounding Narrative Medicine: Studying Students’ Professional Identity Development at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons

PubMed Central

Miller, Eliza; Balmer, Dorene; Hermann, Nellie; Graham, Gillian; Charon, Rita

2014-01-01

Purpose To learn what medical students derive from training in humanities, social sciences, and the arts in a narrative medicine curriculum and to explore narrative medicine’s framework as it relates to students’ professional development. Method On completion of required intensive, half-semester narrative medicine seminars in 2010, 130 second-year medical students at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons participated in focus group discussions of their experiences. Focus group transcriptions were submitted to close iterative reading by a team who performed a grounded-theory-guided content analysis, generating a list of codes into which statements were sorted to develop overarching themes. Provisional interpretations emerged from the close and repeated readings, suggesting a fresh conceptual understanding of how and through what avenues such education achieves its goals in clinical training. Results Students’ comments articulated the known features of narrative medicine—attention, representation, and affiliation—and endorsed all three as being valuable to professional identity development. They spoke of the salience of their work in narrative medicine to medicine and medical education and its dividends of critical thinking, reflection, and pleasure. Critiques constituted a small percentage of the statements in each category. Conclusions Students report that narrative medicine seminars support complex interior, interpersonal, perceptual, and expressive capacities. Students’ lived experiences confirm some expectations of narrative medicine curricular planners while exposing fresh effects of such work to view. PMID:24362390

Shuttle Astronauts Visit NASA's X-Ray Observatory Operations Control Center in Cambridge to Coordinate Plans for Launch

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1998-06-01

CAMBRIDGE, MASS.-- June 25, 1998 Eileen Collins, the first U.S. woman commanderof a Space Shuttle mission and her fellow astronauts for NASA s STS-93 mission toured the Operations Control Center (OCC) for the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF) today. AXAF is scheduled for launch on January 26, 1999 aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia. They met with the staff of the OCC and discussed how the status of the observatory will be monitored while in the shuttle bay and during deployment. "We are honored to have this historic shuttle crew visit us and familiarize themselves with the OCC," said Harvey Tananbaum, director of the AXAF Science Center, which operates the OCC for the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory through a contract with NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center. "It is appropriate that a pathbreaking shuttle mission will deploy the premier X-ray observatory of this century." AXAF is the third of NASA s Great Observatories along with the Hubble Space Telescope and the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory. It will observe in greater detail than ever before the hot, violent regions of the universe that cannot be seen with optical telescopes. Exploding stars, black holes and vast clouds of gas in galaxy clusters are among the fascinating objects that AXAF is designed to study. The satellite is currently in the final stages of testing at TRW Space and Electronics Group,the prime contractor, in Redondo Beach, California. In late August it will be flown aboard a specially-outfitted Air Force C-5 aircraft to Kennedy Space Center in Florida where it will be integrated with a Boeing booster and then installed in the Shuttle bay. The shuttle crew that will take AXAF into space includes Collins (Col., USAF), Jeffrey Ashby (Cmdr., USN), pilot; Steven Hawley, Ph.D., mission specialist; Catherine Cady Coleman, Ph.D. (Major, USAF), mission specialist; and Michel Tognini (Col., French Air Force), mission specialist. While visiting the OCC the crew learned how critical data

Everyday astronomy @ Sydney Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parello, S. L.

2008-06-01

Catering to a broad range of audiences, including many non-English speaking visitors, Sydney Observatory offers everything from school programmes to public sessions, day care activities to night observing, personal interactions to web-based outreach. With a history of nearly 150 years of watching the heavens, Sydney Observatory is now engaged in sharing the wonder with everybody in traditional and innovative ways. Along with time-honoured tours of the sky through two main telescopes, as well as a small planetarium, Sydney Observatory also boasts a 3D theatre, and offers programmes 363 days a year - rain or shine, day and night. Additionally, our website neversleeps, with a blog, YouTube videos, and night sky watching podcasts. And for good measure, a sprinkling of special events such as the incomparable Festival of the Stars, for which most of northern Sydney turns out their lights. Sydney Observatory is the oldest working observatory in Australia, and we're thrilled to be looking forward to our 150th Anniversary next year in anticipation of the International Year of Astronomy immediately thereafter.

How To Cover NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1999-07-01

NASA's newest space telescope, the Chandra X-ray Observatory, is scheduled for launch not earlier than July 20, 1999, aboard Space Shuttle mission STS-93. The world's most powerful X-ray observatory, Chandra will join the Hubble Space Telescope and NASA's other great observatories in an unprecedented study of our universe. With its capability to "see" an otherwise invisible but violent, vibrant and ever-changing universe, Chandra will provide insights into the universe's structure and evolution. The following information is designed to assist news media representatives cover launch and activation of the Chandra X-ray Observatory. Covering from the Chandra Control Center NASA will establish a news center at the Chandra X-ray Observatory Operations Control Center in Cambridge, Mass., during the critical period of launch and early activation. The news center will be open from approximately two days prior to launch until the observatory is established in its operating orbit approximately 11 days after launch. The telephone numbers for the news center are: (617) 496-4454 (617) 496-4462 (617) 496-4484 The news center will be staffed around the clock during the Shuttle mission by media relations officers knowledgeable about the Chandra mission and its status. Media covering from the news center will be provided work space and have opportunities for face-to-face interviews with Chandra management, control team members and Chandra scientists. They will be able to participate in daily Chandra status briefings and have access to a special control room viewing area. Additionally, media covering from Cambridge will receive periodic status reports on Chandra and the STS-93 mission, and will be able to participate in interactive televised briefings on the STS-93 mission originating from other NASA centers. While advance accreditation is not required, media interested in covering Chandra from the Operations Control Center should contact Dave Drachlis by telephone at (256) 544

Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamidouche, M.; Young, E.; Marcum, P.; Krabbe, A.

2010-12-01

We present one of the new generations of observatories, the Stratospheric Observatory For Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA). This is an airborne observatory consisting of a 2.7-m telescope mounted on a modified Boeing B747-SP airplane. Flying at an up to 45,000 ft (14 km) altitude, SOFIA will observe above more than 99 percent of the Earth's atmospheric water vapor allowing observations in the normally obscured far-infrared. We outline the observatory capabilities and goals. The first-generation science instruments flying on board SOFIA and their main astronomical goals are also presented.

CSU's MWV Observatory: A Facility for Research, Education and Outreach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hood, John; Carpenter, N. D.; McCarty, C. B.; Samford, J. H.; Johnson, M.; Puckett, A. W.; Williams, R. N.; Cruzen, S. T.

2014-01-01

The Mead Westvaco Observatory (MWVO), located in Columbus State University's Coca-Cola Space Science Center, is dedicated to education and research in astronomy through hands-on engagement and public participation. The MWVO has recently received funding to upgrade from a 16-inch Meade LX-200 telescope to a PlaneWave CDK 24-inch Corrected Dall-Kirkham Astrograph telescope. This and other technological upgrades will allow this observatory to stream live webcasts for astronomical events, allowing a worldwide public audience to become a part of the growing astronomical community. This poster will explain the upgrades that are currently in progress as well as the results from the current calibrations. The goal of these upgrades is to provide facilities capable of both research-class projects and widespread use in education and public outreach. We will present our initial calibration and tests of the observatory equipment, as well as its use in webcasts of astronomical events, in solar observing through the use of specialized piggy-backed telescopes, and in research into such topics as asteroids, planetary and nebula imaging. We will describe a pilot research project on asteroid orbit refinement and light curves, to be carried out by Columbus State University students. We will also outline many of the K-12 educational and public outreach activities we have designed for these facilities. Support and funding for the acquisition and installation of the new PlaneWave CDK 24 has been provided by the International Museum and Library Services via the Museums for America Award.

AUGO II: a comprehensive subauroral zone observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schofield, I. S.; Connors, M. G.

2010-12-01

A new geophysical observatory dedicated to the study of the aurora borealis will be built 25 km southwest of the town of Athabasca, Alberta, Canada. It is anticipated to see first light in the winter of 2010/2011 and be fully operational in the fall of 2011. Based on the highly successful Athabasca University Geophysical Observatory (AUGO), opened in 2002 at the Athabasca University campus in Athabasca, Alberta, AUGO II will have expanded observational capacity featuring up to eight climate-controlled domed optical observation suites for instrumentation, on-site accommodation for up to six researchers, and most importantly, dark skies free of light pollution from urban development. AUGO II will share the same advantages as its predecessor, one being its location in central Alberta, allowing routine study of the subauroral zone, auroral oval studies during active times, and very rarely of the polar cap. Like the original AUGO, AUGO II will be in close proximity to major highways, be connected to a high bandwidth network, and be within two hour driving distance to the city of Edmonton and its international airport. Opportunities are open for guest researchers in space physics to conduct auroral studies at this new, state-of-the-art research facility through the installation of remotely controlled instruments and/or campaigns. An innovative program of instrument development will accompany the new observatory’s enhanced infrastructure with a focus on magnetics and H-beta meridian scanning photometry.

The Mauna Kea Observatories Outreach Committee Brings Astronomy To The Hawaiian Public

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heyer, I.; Harvey, J.; Usuda, K. S.; Fujihara, G.; Hamilton, J.

2010-08-01

The Mauna Kea Observatories Outreach Committee (MKOOC) combines the outreach activities of the 13 telescopes on Mauna Kea on the Big Island of Hawaii. For the International Year of Astronomy (IYA) 2009 we branded our annual local events, and in addition developed several unique activities and products to bring astronomy to the public during IYA. Our Journey Through The Universe classroom visit and teacher training program was augmented by several evening public events for the whole family. For AstroDay we developed a set of astronomy trading cards, such that people had to visit all the observatory booths to collect the whole set. In collaboration with the local newspapers, we produced an astronomy supplement, available both on paper and online, highlighting the work being done at our observatories. A year-long introductory astronomy class for K-12 teachers was held, emphasizing hands-on activities to teach important concepts. In collaboration with a local supermarket, we held a poster contest for students, making the connection between astronomy and Hawaiian culture. We also participated in the "100 Hours of Astronomy" webcast. In the fall, we celebrated the Galilean Nights with an all-observatories block party, with activities, music, and give-aways.

The Lowell Observatory Predoctoral Scholar Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prato, Lisa; Nofi, Larissa

2018-01-01

Lowell Observatory is pleased to solicit applications for our Predoctoral Scholar Fellowship Program. Now beginning its tenth year, this program is designed to provide unique research opportunities to graduate students in good standing, currently enrolled at Ph.D. granting institutions. Lowell staff research spans a wide range of topics, from astronomical instrumentation, to icy bodies in our solar system, exoplanet science, stellar populations, star formation, and dwarf galaxies. Strong collaborations, the new Ph.D. program at Northern Arizona University, and cooperative links across the greater Flagstaff astronomical community create a powerful multi-institutional locus in northern Arizona. Lowell Observatory's new 4.3 meter Discovery Channel Telescope is operating at full science capacity and boasts some of the most cutting-edge and exciting capabilities available in optical/infrared astronomy. Student research is expected to lead to a thesis dissertation appropriate for graduation at the doctoral level at the student's home institution. For more information, see http://www2.lowell.edu/rsch/predoc.php and links therein. Applications for Fall 2018 are due by May 1, 2018; alternate application dates will be considered on an individual basis.

EUV multilayer coatings for the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly instrument aboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Soufli, R; Windt, D L; Robinson, J C

2006-02-09

Multilayer coatings for the 7 EUV channels of the AIA have been developed and completed successfully on all AIA flight mirrors. Mo/Si coatings (131, 171, 193.5, 211 {angstrom}) were deposited at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). Mg/SiC (304, 335 {angstrom}) and Mo/Y (94 {angstrom}) coatings were deposited at Columbia University. EUV reflectance of the 131/335 {angstrom}, 171 {angstrom}, 193.5/211 {angstrom} primary and secondary flight mirrors and the 94/304 {angstrom} secondary flight mirror was measured at beamline 6.3.2. of the Advanced Light Source (ALS) at LBNL. EUV reflectance of the 94/304 {angstrom} primary and secondary flight mirrors was measured at beamlinemore » X24C of the National Synchrotron Light Source (NSLS) at Brookhaven National Lab. Preliminary EUV reflectance measurements of the 94, 304 and 335 {angstrom} coatings were performed with a laser plasma source reflectometer located at Columbia University. Prior to multilayer coating, Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) characterization and cleaning of all flight substrates was performed at LLNL.« less

Hawaii's Annual Journey Through the Universe Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harvey, J.; Daou, D.; Day, B.; Slater, T. F.; Slater, S. J.

2012-08-01

Hawaii's annual Journey through the Universe program is a flagship Gemini public education and outreach event that engages the public, teachers, astronomers, engineers, thousands of local students and staff from all of the Mauna Kea Observatories. The program inspires, educates, and engages teachers, students, and their families as well as the community. From February 10-18, 2011, fifty-one astronomy educators from observatories on Mauna Kea and across the world visited over 6,500 students in 310 classrooms at 18 schools. Two family science events were held for over 2,500 people at the 'Imiloa Astronomy Education Center and the University of Hawaii at Hilo. The local Chamber of Commerce(s) held an appreciation celebration for the astronomers attended by over 170 members from the local government and business community. Now going into its eighth year in Hawaii, the 2012 Journey Through the Universe program will continue working with the observatories on Mauna Kea and with the NASA Lunar Science Institute (NLSI). As a new partner in our Journey program, NLSI will join the Journey team (Janice Harvey, Gemini Observatory, Journey Team Leader) and give an overview of the successes and future developments of this remarkable program and its growth. The future of America rests on our ability to train the next generation of scientists and engineers. Science education is key and Journey through the Universe opens the doors of scientific discovery for our students. www.gemini.edu/journey

NORSAR Basic Seismological Research

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-11-29

AZ 85721 Prof. Christopher H. Scholz Dr. William Wortman Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory Mission Research Corporation of Columbia University 735...Reston, VA 22091 Mr. William J. Best Prof. Robert W. Clayton 907 Westwood Drive Seismological Laboratory Vienna, VA 22180 Division of Geological...Planetary Sciences California Institute of Technology Pasadena, CA 91125 Dr. N. Biswas Prof. F. A. Dahlen Geophysical Institute Geological and Geophysical

"Universities, the Major Battleground in the Fight for Reason and Capitalism"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Gary H.

2010-01-01

At the turn of the twentieth century, the presidents of Harvard University, Columbia University, and the University of Chicago issued declarations bolstering institutional resistance to attempts by external agencies to influence a faculty member's stance on issues of the day. The American Association of University Professors (AAUP) emerged some…

From The Pierre Auger Observatory to AugerPrime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parra, Alejandra; Martínez Bravo, Oscar; Pierre Auger Collaboration

2017-06-01

In the present work we report the principal motivation and reasons for the new stage of the Pierre Auger Observatory, AugerPrime. This upgrade has as its principal goal to clarify the origin of the highest energy cosmic rays through improvement in studies of the mass composition. To accomplished this goal, AugerPrime will use air shower universality, which states that extensive air showers can be completely described by three parameters: the primary energy E 0, the atmospheric shower depth of maximum X max, and the number of muons, Nμ . The Auger Collaboration has planned to complement its surface array (SD), based on water-Cherenkov detectors (WCD) with scintillator detectors, calls SSD (Scintillator Surface Detector). These will be placed at the top of each WCD station. The SSD will allow a shower to shower analysis, instead of the statistical analysis that the Observatory has previously done, to determine the mass composition of the primary particle by the electromagnetic to muonic ratio.

The Cosmic Ray Observatory Project in Nebraska and Public Outreach for the Pierre Auger Observatory in Argentina

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Snow, Gregory

2005-04-01

The Cosmic Ray Observatory Project (CROP) is a statewide education and research experiment involving Nebraska high school students, teachers, and college undergraduates in the study of extensive cosmic-ray air showers. A network of high school teams construct, install, and operate school-based detectors in coordination with University of Nebraska physics professors and graduate students. The detector system at each school is an array of scintillation counters recycled from the Chicago Air Shower Array in weather-proof enclosures on the school roof, with a GPS receiver providing a time stamp for cosmic-ray events. The detectors are connected to triggering electronics and a data-acquisition PC inside the building. Students share data via the Internet to search for time coincidences with other sites. CROP has enlisted 26 schools in its first 5 years of operation with the aim of expanding to the 314 high schools in the state over the next several years. The presenter also serves as the Task Leader for Education and Outreach for the Pierre Auger Cosmic Ray Observatory, and selected public outreach activities related to the experiment will be described.

Adult Basic Education in British Columbia's Public Post-Secondary Institutions. An Articulation Handbook. 2007-2008 Edition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ministry of Advanced Education, 2007

2007-01-01

This is the twenty-second edition of the Adult Basic Education (ABE) Articulation Handbook for British Columbia's public postsecondary institutions. The purpose of ABE articulation is to ensure learners have access to quality courses, receive appropriate credits and are able to transfer easily among publicly-funded colleges, university colleges,…

Observing globular cluster RR Lyraes with the BYU West Mountain Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeffery, E. J.; Joner, M. D.; Walton, R. S.

2016-05-01

We have utilized the 0.9-meter telescope of the Brigham Young University West Mountain Observatory to secure data on six northern hemi- sphere globular clusters. Here we present observations of RR Lyrae stars located in these clusters. We compare light curves produced using both DAOPHOT and ISIS software packages. Light curve fitting is done with FITLC.

The water Cherenkov detectors of the HAWC Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Longo, Megan; Mostafa, Miguel

2012-10-01

The High Altitude Water Cherenkov (HAWC) observatory is a very high-energy gamma-ray detector which is currently under construction at 4100 m in Sierra Negra, Mexico. The observatory will be composed of an array of 300 Water Cherenkov Detectors (WCDs). Each WCD consists of a 5 m tall by 7.3 m wide steel tank containing a hermetically sealed plastic bag, called a bladder, which is filled with 200,000 liters of purified water. The detectors are each equipped with four upward-facing photomultiplier tubes (PMTs), anchored to the bottom of the bladder. At Colorado State University (CSU) we have the only full-size prototype outside of the HAWC site. It serves as a testbed for installation and operation procedures for the HAWC observatory. The WCD at CSU has been fully operational since March 2011, and has several components not yet present at the HAWC site. In addition to the four HAWC position PMTs, our prototype has three additional PMTs, including one shrouded (dark) PMT. We also have five scintillator paddles, four buried underneath the HAWC position PMTs, and one freely moving paddle above the volume of water. These extra additions will allow us to work on muon reconstruction with a single WCD. We will describe the analysis being done with the data taken with the CSU prototype, its impact on the HAWC detector, and future plans for the prototype.

External Validation of the Universal Termination of Resuscitation Rule for Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest in British Columbia.

PubMed

Grunau, Brian; Taylor, John; Scheuermeyer, Frank X; Stenstrom, Robert; Dick, William; Kawano, Takahisa; Barbic, David; Drennan, Ian; Christenson, Jim

2017-09-01

The Universal Termination of Resuscitation Rule (TOR Rule) was developed to identify out-of-hospital cardiac arrests eligible for field termination of resuscitation, avoiding futile transportation to the hospital. The validity of the rule in emergency medical services (EMS) systems that do not routinely transport out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients to the hospital is unknown. We seek to validate the TOR Rule in British Columbia. This study included consecutive, nontraumatic, adult, out-of-hospital cardiac arrests treated by EMS in British Columbia from April 2011 to September 2015. We excluded patients with active do-not-resuscitate orders and those with missing data. Following consensus guidelines, we examined the validity of the TOR Rule after 6 minutes of resuscitation (to approximate three 2-minute cycles of resuscitation). To ascertain rule performance at the different time junctures, we recalculated TOR Rule classification accuracy at subsequent 1-minute resuscitation increments. Of 6,994 consecutive, adult, EMS-treated, out-of-hospital cardiac arrests, overall survival was 15%. At 6 minutes of resuscitation, rule performance was sensitivity 0.72, specificity 0.91, positive predictive value 0.98, and negative predictive value 0.36. The TOR Rule recommended care termination for 4,367 patients (62%); of these, 92 survived to hospital discharge (false-positive rate 2.1%; 95% confidence interval 1.7% to 2.5%); however, this proportion steadily decreased with later application. The TOR Rule recommended continuation of resuscitation in 2,627 patients (38%); of these, 1,674 died (false-negative rate 64%; 95% confidence interval 62% to 66%). Compared with 6-minute application, test characteristics at 30 minutes demonstrated nearly perfect positive predictive value (1.0) and specificity (1.0) but a lower sensitivity (0.46) and negative predictive value (0.25). In this cohort of adult out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients, the TOR Rule applied at 6 minutes

Studying the Light Pollution around Urban Observatories: Columbus State University’s WestRock Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Keeffe, Brendon Andrew; Johnson, Michael

2017-01-01

Light pollution plays an ever increasing role in the operations of observatories across the world. This is especially true in urban environments like Columbus, GA, where Columbus State University’s WestRock Observatory is located. Light pollution’s effects on an observatory include high background levels, which results in a lower signal to noise ratio. Overall, this will limit what the telescope can detect, and therefore limit the capabilities of the observatory as a whole.Light pollution has been mapped in Columbus before using VIIRS DNB composites. However, this approach did not provide the detailed resolution required to narrow down the problem areas around the vicinity of the observatory. The purpose of this study is to assess the current state of light pollution surrounding the WestRock observatory by measuring and mapping the brightness of the sky due to light pollution using light meters and geographic information system (GIS) software.Compared to VIIRS data this study allows for an improved spatial resolution and a direct measurement of the sky background. This assessment will enable future studies to compare their results to the baseline established here, ensuring that any changes to the way the outdoors are illuminated and their effects can be accurately measured, and counterbalanced.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Family members of the STS-107 astronauts, other dignitaries, members of the university community and the public gather for the dedication ceremony of the Columbia Village at the Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne, Fla. Each of the seven new residence halls in the complex is named for one of the STS-107 astronauts who perished during the Columbia accident -- Rick Husband, Willie McCool, Laurel Clark, Michael Anderson, David Brown, Kalpana Chawla, and Ilan Ramon.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-10-28

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Family members of the STS-107 astronauts, other dignitaries, members of the university community and the public gather for the dedication ceremony of the Columbia Village at the Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne, Fla. Each of the seven new residence halls in the complex is named for one of the STS-107 astronauts who perished during the Columbia accident -- Rick Husband, Willie McCool, Laurel Clark, Michael Anderson, David Brown, Kalpana Chawla, and Ilan Ramon.

Changing course. Columbia the buyer becomes Columbia the builder as the company seeks to overcome market impediments.

PubMed

Japsen, B; Snow, C

1997-04-14

In an attempt to overcome market roadblocks, Columbia/HCA Healthcare Corp is revising its strategy from buying existing hospitals to constructing new ones. In this issue we take a look at the investor-owned giant's changing tactics as well as its sometimes rocky relations with the media. We also examine Columbia's performance in its former headquarters city, Louisville, Ky.

Chandra X-Ray Observatory Pointing Control System Performance During Transfer Orbit and Initial On-Orbit Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Quast, Peter; Tung, Frank; West, Mark; Wider, John

2000-01-01

The Chandra X-ray Observatory (CXO, formerly AXAF) is the third of the four NASA great observatories. It was launched from Kennedy Space Flight Center on 23 July 1999 aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia and was successfully inserted in a 330 x 72,000 km orbit by the Inertial Upper Stage (IUS). Through a series of five Integral Propulsion System burns, CXO was placed in a 10,000 x 139,000 km orbit. After initial on-orbit checkout, Chandra's first light images were unveiled to the public on 26 August, 1999. The CXO Pointing Control and Aspect Determination (PCAD) subsystem is designed to perform attitude control and determination functions in support of transfer orbit operations and on-orbit science mission. After a brief description of the PCAD subsystem, the paper highlights the PCAD activities during the transfer orbit and initial on-orbit operations. These activities include: CXO/IUS separation, attitude and gyro bias estimation with earth sensor and sun sensor, attitude control and disturbance torque estimation for delta-v burns, momentum build-up due to gravity gradient and solar pressure, momentum unloading with thrusters, attitude initialization with star measurements, gyro alignment calibration, maneuvering and transition to normal pointing, and PCAD pointing and stability performance.

EUSO-SPB2: Second Generation Extreme Universe Space Observatory (EUSO) on Board a Super-Pressure Balloon (SPB)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anchordoqui, Luis

This is a Co-Investigator Proposal for EUSO-SPB2 being led by PI Angela V. Olinto at the University of Chicago as the lead Institution. This is the Lehman College (City University of New York) Task Statement. We propose to design, build, deploy, and publish the scientific results of a second generation of the Extreme Universe Space Observatory (EUSO), to be flown aboard a Super-Pressure Balloon (SBP). EUSO-SPB2 will monitor the night sky of the Southern hemisphere to study cosmic rays of very high to ultrahigh energies and pioneer the search for cosmogenic tau neutrinos from space. EUSO-SPB2 will be the first instrument to observe Cherenkov light from extensive airshowers high in the atmosphere. EUSO-SPB2 will observe a large sample of cosmic rays from 0.1 to 1 EeV with the Cherenkov technique and will discriminate among the Cherenkov profiles of primary protons, heavy nuclei, and photons. It will also characterize the background for upward going showers initiated by the decay of tau leptons, which are expected to be produced by Earth-skimming tau neutrinos. A coincidence veto will be developed for EUSO-SPB2 so it can characterize the background for Cherenkov signals from the neutrino produced tau leptons. EUSO-SPB2 will also use fluorescence observations to measure, for the first time, the evolution of nearly horizontal high altitude extensive air showers, which develop at the nearly constant low-density atmosphere. Such measurements will provide a unique channel to probe hadronic interaction models at ultrahigh energies, and may elucidate the reason why ultrahigh-energy cosmic ray (UHECR) showers observed by ground-based detectors contain more muons than expected from hadronic interaction models. EUSO-SPB2 is a pathfinder for the more ambitious space-based measurements by the Probe Of Extreme Multi-Messenger Astrophysics (POEMMA), currently proposed for a NASA design study. POEMMA will combine the well-developed Orbiting Wide-field Light-collectors (OWL) concept

Observations and Numerical Modeling of the 2012 Haida Gwaii Tsunami off the Coast of British Columbia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fine, Isaac V.; Cherniawsky, Josef Y.; Thomson, Richard E.; Rabinovich, Alexander B.; Krassovski, Maxim V.

2015-03-01

A major ( M w 7.7) earthquake occurred on October 28, 2012 along the Queen Charlotte Fault Zone off the west coast of Haida Gwaii (formerly the Queen Charlotte Islands). The earthquake was the second strongest instrumentally recorded earthquake in Canadian history and generated the largest local tsunami ever recorded on the coast of British Columbia. A field survey on the Pacific side of Haida Gwaii revealed maximum runup heights of up to 7.6 m at sites sheltered from storm waves and 13 m in a small inlet that is less sheltered from storms (L eonard and B ednarski 2014). The tsunami was recorded by tide gauges along the coast of British Columbia, by open-ocean bottom pressure sensors of the NEPTUNE facility at Ocean Networks Canada's cabled observatory located seaward of southwestern Vancouver Island, and by several DART stations located in the northeast Pacific. The tsunami observations, in combination with rigorous numerical modeling, enabled us to determine the physical properties of this event and to correct the location of the tsunami source with respect to the initial geophysical estimates. The initial model results were used to specify sites of particular interest for post-tsunami field surveys on the coast of Moresby Island (Haida Gwaii), while field survey observations (L eonard and B ednarski 2014) were used, in turn, to verify the numerical simulations based on the corrected source region.

KSC-99pp0352

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-03-26

TRW technicians in the Vertical Processing Facility check the fitting of the solar panel array being attached to the Chandra X-ray Observatory. Formerly called the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility, Chandra comprises three major elements: the spacecraft, the science instrument module (SIM), and the world's most powerful X-ray telescope. Chandra will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of our universe. Chandra is scheduled for launch July 9 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, on mission STS-93

High Energy Astronomy Observatory (HEAO)

NASA Image and Video Library

1978-11-13

The launch of an Atlas/Centaur launch vehicle is shown in this photograph. The Atlas/Centaur, launched on November 13, 1978, carried the High Energy Astronomy Observatory (HEAO)-2 into the required orbit. The second observatory, the HEAO-2 (nicknamed the Einstein Observatory in honor of the centernial of the birth of Albert Einstein) carried the first telescope capable of producing actual photographs of x-ray objects.

An interview with Bruce A. Bolt

USGS Publications Warehouse

Spall, H.

1987-01-01

Professor Bruce Bolt was educated in Australia and first came to the United States in 1960 on a Fulbright Fellowship to the Lamont Geological Observatory of Columbia University. In 1963 he was appointed Director of the Seismographic Stations at the University of California at Berkeley. In June 1988, he steps down as Director but his association will continue as Professor of Seismology. Henry Spall interviewed him again 10 years after a 977 interview published in the Earthquake Information Bulletin. 

Exploring Effective Academic Governance at a Canadian University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lougheed, Patrick; Pidgeon, Michelle

2016-01-01

In Canada, only 44% of members of academic governance bodies at universities feel that their boards are effective decision-making bodies (Jones, Shanahan, & Goyan, 2004). In this study, we examined the views of senators at a British Columbia university regarding their senate's effectiveness in decision-making, including structures, processes,…

Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (sofia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Becklin, E. E.

1997-08-01

The joint US and German SOFIA project to develop and operate a 2.5 meter infrared airborne telescope in a Boeing 747-SP began earlier this year. Universities Space Research Association (USRA), teamed with Raytheon E systems and United Airlines, was selected by NASA to develop and operate SOFIA. The 2.5 meter telescope will be designed and built by a consortium of German companies lead by MAN-GHH. Work on the aircraft and the primary mirror has started. First science flights will begin in 2001, and the observatory is expected to operate for over 20 years. The specifications, instruments and science potential of SOFIA are discussed.

A solid waste audit and directions for waste reduction at the University of British Columbia, Canada.

PubMed

Felder, M A; Petrell, R J; Duff, S J

2001-08-01

A novel design for a solid waste audit was developed and applied to the University of British Columbia, Canada, in 1998. This audit was designed to determine the characteristics of the residual solid waste generated by the campus and provide directions for waste reduction. The methodology was constructed to address complications in solid waste sampling, including spatial and temporal variation in waste, extrapolation from the study area, and study validation. Accounting for spatial effects decreased the variation in calculating total waste loads. Additionally, collecting information on user flow provided a means to decrease daily variation in solid waste and allow extrapolation over time and space. The total annual waste estimated from the experimental design was compared to documented values and was found to differ by -18%. The majority of this discrepancy was likely attributable to the unauthorised disposal of construction and demolition waste. Several options were proposed to address waste minimisation goals. These included: enhancing the current recycling program, source reduction of plastic materials, and/or diverting organic material to composting (maximum diversion: approximately 320, approximately 270, and approximately 1510 t yr(-1), respectively). The greatest diversion by weight would be accomplished through the diversion of organic material, as it was estimated to comprise 70% of the projected waste stream. The audit methodology designed is most appropriate for facilities/regions that have a separate collection system for seasonal wastes and have a means for tracking user flow.

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory

USGS Publications Warehouse

Venezky, Dina Y.; Orr, Tim R.

2008-01-01

Lava from Kilauea volcano flowing through a forest in the Royal Gardens subdivision, Hawai'i, in February 2008. The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) monitors the volcanoes of Hawai'i and is located within Hawaiian Volcanoes National Park. HVO is one of five USGS Volcano Hazards Program observatories that monitor U.S. volcanoes for science and public safety. Learn more about Kilauea and HVO at http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov.

Observatory Sponsoring Astronomical Image Contest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2005-05-01

and to provide a showcase for a broad range of astronomical research and celestial objects," Adams added. In addition, NRAO is developing enhanced data visualization techniques and data-processing recipes to assist radio astronomers in making quality images and in combining radio data with data collected at other wavelengths, such as visible-light or infrared, to make composite images. "We encourage all our telescope users to take advantage of these techniques to showcase their research," said Juan Uson, a member of the NRAO scientific staff and the observatory's EPO scientist. "All these efforts should demonstrate the vital and exciting roles that radio telescopes, radio observers, and the NRAO play in modern astronomy," Lo said. "While we want to encourage images that capture the imagination, we also want to emphasize that extra effort invested in enhanced imagery also will certainly pay off scientifically, by revealing subtleties and details that may have great significance for our understanding of astronomical objects," he added. Details of the NRAO Image Contest, which will become an annual event, are on the observatory's Web site. The observatory will announce winners on October 15. The National Radio Astronomy Observatory is a facility of the National Science Foundation, operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc.

Assessing the health care needs of women in rural British Columbia

PubMed Central

Guy, Meghan; Norman, Wendy V.; Malhotra, Unjali

2013-01-01

Objective To design reliable survey instruments to evaluate needs and expectations for provision of women's health services in rural communities in British Columbia (BC). These tools will aim to plan programming for, and evaluate effectiveness of, a women's health enhanced skills residency program at the University of British Columbia. Design A qualitative design that included administration of written surveys and on-site interviews in several rural communities. Setting Three communities participated in initial questionnaire and interview administration. A fourth community participated in the second interview iteration. Participating communities did not have obstetrician-gynecologists but did have hospitals capable of supporting outpatient specialized women's health procedural care. Participants Community physicians, leaders of community groups serving women, and allied health providers, in Vancouver Island, Southeast Interior BC, and Northern BC. Methods Two preliminary questionnaires were developed to assess local specialized women's health services based on the curriculum of the enhanced skills training program; one was designed for physicians and the other for women's community group leaders and aboriginal health and community group leaders. Interview questions were designed to ensure the survey could be understood and to identify important areas of women's health not included on the initial questionnaires. Results were analyzed using quantitative and qualitative methods, and a second draft of the questionnaires was developed for a second iteration of interviews. Main findings Clarity and comprehension of questionnaires were good; however, nonphysician participants answered that they were unsure on many questions pertaining to specific services. Topics identified as important and missing from questionnaires included violence and mental health. A second version of the questionnaires was shown to have addressed these concerns. Conclusion Through iterations of

The Ocean Observatories Initiative: Data, Data and More Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crowley, M. F.; Vardaro, M.; Belabbassi, L.; Smith, M. J.; Garzio, L. M.; Knuth, F.; Glenn, S. M.; Schofield, O.; Lichtenwalner, C. S.; Kerfoot, J.

2016-02-01

The Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI), a project funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and managed by the Consortium for Ocean Leadership, is a networked infrastructure of science-driven sensor systems that measure the physical, chemical, geological, and biological variables in the ocean and seafloor on coastal, regional, and global scales. OOI long term research arrays have been installed off the Washington coast (Cabled), Massachusetts and Oregon coasts (Coastal) and off Alaska, Greenland, Chile and Argentina (Global). Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and Oregon State University are responsible for the coastal and global moorings and their autonomous vehicles. The University of Washington is responsible for cabled seafloor systems and moorings. Rutgers University operates the Cyberinfrastructure (CI) portion of the OOI, which acquires, processes and distributes data to the scientists, researchers, educators and the public. It also provides observatory mission command and control, data assessment and distribution, and long-term data management. This talk will present an overview of the OOI infrastructure and its three primary websites which include: 1) An OOI overview website offering technical information on the infrastructure ranging from instruments to science goals, news, deployment updates, and information on the proposal process, 2) The Education and Public Engagement website where students can view and analyze exactly the same data that scientists have access to at exactly the same time, but with simple visualization tools and compartmentalized lessons that lead them through complex science questions, and 3) The primary data access website and machine to machine interface where anyone can plot or download data from the over 700 instruments within the OOI Network.

Griffith Observatory: Hollywood's Celestial Theater

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Margolis, Emily A.; Dr. Stuart W. Leslie

2018-01-01

The Griffith Observatory, perched atop the Hollywood Hills, is perhaps the most recognizable observatory in the world. Since opening in 1935, this Los Angeles icon has brought millions of visitors closer to the heavens. Through an analysis of planning documentation, internal newsletters, media coverage, programming and exhibition design, I demonstrate how the Observatory’s Southern California location shaped its form and function. The astronomical community at nearby Mt. Wilson Observatory and Caltech informed the selection of instrumentation and programming, especially for presentations with the Observatory’s Zeiss Planetarium, the second installed in the United States. Meanwhile the Observatory staff called upon some of Hollywood’s best artists, model makers, and scriptwriters to translate the latest astronomical discoveries into spectacular audiovisual experiences, which were enhanced with Space Age technological displays on loan from Southern California’s aerospace companies. The influences of these three communities- professional astronomy, entertainment, and aerospace- persist today and continue to make Griffith Observatory one of the premiere sites of public astronomy in the country.

The Evolving Landscape of the Columbia River Gorge: Lewis and Clark and Cataclysms on the Columbia

USGS Publications Warehouse

O'Connor, James E.

2004-01-01

TAVELERS RETRACING LEWIS AND CLARKE JOURNEY to the Pacific over the past two hundred years have witnessed tre mendous change to the Columbia River Gorge and its pri mary feature, the Columbia River. Dams, reservoirs, timber harvest, altered fisheries, transportation infrastructure, and growth and shrinkage of communities have transformed the river and valley.1 This radically different geography of human use and habitation is commonly contrasted with the sometimes romantic view of a prior time provided both by early nineteenth-century chroniclers and present-day critics of the modern condition ? an ecotopia of plentiful and perpetual resources sustaining a stable culture from time immemorial. Reality is more com plicated. Certainly the human-caused changes to the Columbia River and the gorge since Lewis and Clark have been profound; but the geologic his tory of immense floods, landslides, and volcanic eruptions that occurred before their journey had equally, if not more, acute effects on landscapes and societies of the gorge. In many ways, the Lewis and Clark Expedi tion can be viewed as a hinge point for the Columbia River, the changes engineered to the river and its valley in the two hundred years since their visit mirrored by tremendous changes geologically engendered in the thousands of years before. 

The Evolving Landscape of the Columbia River Gorge: Lewis and Clark and Cataclysms on the Columbia

USGS Publications Warehouse

O'Connor, James E.

2004-01-01

Travelers reacting Lewis and Clark's journey to the Pacific over the past two hundred years have witnessed tremendous change to the Columbia River Gorge and its primary feature, the Columbia River. Dams, reservoirs, timer harvest, altered fisheries, transportation infrastructure, and growth and shrinkage of communities have transformed the river and valley. This radically different geography of human use and habitation is  commonly contrasted with the sometimes romantic view of a prior time provided both by early nineteenth-century chronicle and present day critics of the modern condition - an ectopia of plentiful and perpetual resources sustaining a stable culture from time immemorial. Reality is more complicated. Certainly the human-caused changes to the Columbia River and the gorge since Lewis and Clark have been profound; by the geologic history of immense floods, landslides, and volcanic eruptions that occurred before the journey had equally, if not more, acute effects on landscapes and societies of the gorge. In many ways, the Lewis and Clark Expidition can be viewed as a hinge point for the Columbia River, the changes engineered to the river and its valley in the two hundred years since their visit mirrored by tremendous cchanges geologically engendered in the thousands of years before. 

Re-Becoming ESL: Multilingual University Students and a Deficit Identity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marshall, Steve

2010-01-01

In this article, I analyze how a group of multilingual students at a university in British Columbia, Canada, go through the process of "re-becoming ESL" during their first year of university. I highlight a central contradiction. Despite bringing a diverse and rich range of languages and cultures to the university, multilingual students…

The ESA Herschel Space Observatory -first year achievements and early science highlights

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pilbratt, Göran

The Herschel Space Observatory was suc-cessfully launched on 14 May 2009, carried into space by an Ariane 5 ECA launcher together with the second passenger Planck, both spacecraft being injected into transfer orbits towards L2 with exquisite precision. Herschel is the most recent observatory mission in the European Space Agency (ESA) science programme. It carries a 3.5 metre diameter Cassegrain passively cooled monolithic silicon carbide telescope. The focal plane units of the science payload complement -two cameras/medium resolution imaging spectrometers, the Photodetector Array Camera and Spectrometer (PACS) and Spectral and Photometric Imaging REceiver (SPIRE), and the very high resolution Heterodyne Instrument for the Far-Infrared (HIFI) spectrometer -are housed in a superfluid helium cryostat. Herschel is the first large aperture space infrared observatory, it builds on previous infrared space missions including the IRAS, ISO, AKARI, and Spitzer observatories, by offering a much larger telescope and pushes towards longer wavelengths. It will perform imaging photometry and spectroscopy in the far infrared and submillimetre part of the spectrum, covering approximately the 55-672 micron range. I will describe Herschel and its science capabilities putting it into perspective. Herschel is designed to observe the 'cool universe'; the key science objectives include star and galaxy formation and evolution, and in particular the physics, dynamics, and chemistry of the interstellar medium and its molecular clouds, the wombs of the stars and planets. Herschel is currently opening a new window to study how the universe has evolved to become the universe we see today, and how our star the sun, our planet the earth, and we ourselves fit in. I will outline the early inflight operations of Herschel and the transition from launch and early operational phases into the routine science phase. I will present the demonstrated science capabilities and provide examples of scientific

Observatory Improvements for SOFIA

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peralta, Robert A.; Jensen, Stephen C.

2012-01-01

The Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) is a joint project between NASA and Deutsches Zentrum fuer Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR), the German Space Agency. SOFIA is based in a Boeing 747 SP and flown in the stratosphere to observe infrared wavelengths unobservable from the ground. In 2007 Dryden Flight Research Center (DFRC) inherited and began work on improving the plane and its telescope. The improvements continue today with upgrading the plane and improving the telescope. The Observatory Verification and Validation (V&V) process is to ensure that the observatory is where the program says it is. The Telescope Status Display (TSD) will provide any information from the on board network to monitors that will display the requested information. In order to assess risks to the program, one must work through the various threats associate with that risk. Once all the risks are closed the program can work towards improving the observatory.

British Columbia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walton, Gerald

2006-01-01

The province of British Columbia has a dubious history where support for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered (LGBT) issues in education is concerned. Most notable is the Surrey School Board's decision in 1997 to ban three picture books for children that depict families with two moms or two dads. The North Vancouver School Board has also…

NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory Unveils New Images

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-04-20

Scientists involved in NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) mission attend a press conference to discuss recent images captured by the SDO spacecraft Wednesday, April 21, 2010, at the Newseum in Washington. On Feb. 11, 2010, NASA launched the SDO spacecraft, which is the most advanced spacecraft ever designed to study the sun. Seated left to right are: Dean Pesnell, SDO project scientist, Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md.; Alan Title, principal investigator, Atmospheric Imaging Assembly instrument, Lockheed Martin Solar and Astrophysics Laboratory in Palo Alto; Philip H. Scherrer, principal investigator, Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager instrument, Stanford University in Palo Alto; Tom Woods, principal investigator, Extreme Ultraviolet Variability Experiment Instrument, Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado in Boulder and Madhulika Guhathakurta, SDO program scientist, NASA Headquarters in Washington. Photo Credit: (NASA/Carla Cioffi)

Iranian National Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khosroshahi, H. G.; Danesh, A.; Molaeinezhad, A.

2016-09-01

The Iranian National Observatory is under construction at an altitude of 3600m at Gargash summit 300km southern Tehran. The site selection was concluded in 2007 and the site monitoring activities have begun since then, which indicates a high quality of the site with a median seeing of 0.7 arcsec through the year. One of the major observing facilities of the observatory is a 3.4m Alt-Az Ritchey-Chretien optical telescope which is currently under design. This f/11 telescope will be equipped with high resolution medium-wide field imaging cameras as well as medium and high resolution spectrographs. In this review, I will give an overview of astronomy research and education in Iran. Then I will go through the past and present activities of the Iranian National Observatory project including the site quality, telescope specifications and instrument capabilities.

NASA Chandra X-ray Observatory Selected as Editor's Choice in 2000 Discover Magazine Awards for Technological Innovation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2000-06-01

laureate Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, was launched in July 1999 aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia and deployed to a highly elliptical Earth orbit. Over the next five years, it will use the world's most powerful X-ray telescope to probe the mysteries of a universe that cannot be seen by the human eye or conventional optical telescopes. Its array of exquisite mirrors, ground and polished by Raytheon Optical Systems, Inc., and assembled and aligned by Eastman Kodak, will allow Chandra to gather and focus X-rays from celestial sources billions of light years away. Chandra's science instrument module was designed and built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., then integrated with instruments provided by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Penn State University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Space Research Organization of The Netherlands, and the Max Planck Institute in Germany. Ball Aerospace also produced Chandra's aspect camera. The Discover Awards for Technological Innovation, now in their 11th year, are designed to acknowledge the creativity of men, women, corporations and institutions who have reached superior levels of ingenuity. Each year, Discover Magazine's editorial staff reviews thousands of new products and ideas presented in the scientific literature or nominated by leading technology-based companies and research organizations. The editorial staff selects semi-finalists in each of eight technology categories, then submits the nominations to an independent panel of experts. The panel then selects the finalists and the winner in each area of technology. The Editor's choice category is reserved for innovations so unique or promising that they go beyond the magazine's established innovation categories by providing a marked advance in their field. Chandra's powerful X-ray telescope can resolve distant images eight times sharper and detect X-ray sources 20 times fainter than any previous X-ray space telescope. Chandra, along with the rest of the winners

The Mauna Kea Observatories Outreach Committee brings Astronomy to the Hawaiian Public

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heyer, Ingeborg; Harvey, J.; Usuda, K. S.; Fujihara, G.

2010-01-01

The Mauna Kea Observatories Outreach Committee (MKOOC) combines the outreach activities of the 13 telescopes on Mauna Kea on the Big Island of Hawai`i. For the International Year of Astronomy (IYA) 2009 we branded our annual local events, and in addition developed several unique activities and products to bring astronomy to the public during IYA. Our Journey Through The Universe classroom visit and teacher training program was augmented by several evening public events for the whole family. For AstroDay we developed a set of astronomy trading cards, such that people had to visit all the observatory booths to collect the whole set. In collaboration with the local newspapers we produced an astronomy supplement, available both on paper and online, highlighting the work being done at our observatories. A year-long introductory astronomy class for K-12 teachers was held, emphasizing hands-on activities to teach important concepts. In collaboration with a local supermarket we held a poster contest for students, making the connection between astronomy and Hawaiian culture. We also participated in the "100 Hours for Astronomy" webcast. In the fall we celebrated the Galilean Nights with an all-observatories block party, with activities, music, and give-aways.

University/City Partnerships: Creating Policy Networks for Urban Transformation in Nairobi

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klopp, Jacqueline; Ngau, Peter; Sclar, Elliot

2011-01-01

This paper describes an innovative collaboration between the Center for Sustainable Urban Development at Columbia University and the Department of Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Nairobi. By bringing universities into urban policy networks, this partnership aims to re-shape pedagogy, policy and research action for sustainable…

Some Remarks on Compliance Testing

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-09-01

Laboratory Berkeley, CA 94720 P.O. Box 1620 U I 1a Jolla, CA 92038-1620 Pr. Richard LaCoss rof, William Menke MIT-Lincoln Laboratory cesont-Doherty...Prof. Christopher H. Scholz Dr. William Wortman Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory Mission Research Corporation of Columbia University 8560...22091 Mr. William J. Best Prof. Robert W. Clayton 907 Westwood Drive Seismological Laboratory Vienna, VA 22180 Division of Geological & Planetary

Activities of the Department of Astronomy and McDonald Observatory of the University of Texas at Austin

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, H. J.

1986-01-01

McDonald Observatory of the University of Texas at Austin reports on its activities during the period 1 Jan. 1986 to 30 June 1986. Extensive observations of Halley's Comet were obtained. The comet exhibited large variability; moreover, its variability was much more rapid than can be accounted for by water vaporization as the sole controller of activity. Jupiter satellite Io's atmosphere was found to be distended by more than the equilibrium scale height but less than for unimpeded streaming into space. The atmosphere is at least temporarily bound to IO. Uranus' (3-0) H2 quadrupole line shapes require a modification of Baines and Bergstralh's standard model which incorporates at high altitude absorbing haze in addition to the lower haze layer. A fraction of normal H2 equal to 0.25 + or 0.10 is derived, in good agreement with the standard model. This result is unchanged when the preliminary temperature structure derived by the Voyager Radio Occultation Experiment is used instead of Appleby's model c. Out of the six Pluto-Charon mutual events observed this year, data were obtained on four. Preliminary analysis is yielding improved estimates for the diameters, masses, densities, and albedos of these objects.

Observatory data and the Swarm mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Macmillan, S.; Olsen, N.

2013-11-01

The ESA Swarm mission to identify and measure very accurately the different magnetic signals that arise in the Earth's core, mantle, crust, oceans, ionosphere and magnetosphere, which together form the magnetic field around the Earth, has increased interest in magnetic data collected on the surface of the Earth at observatories. The scientific use of Swarm data and Swarm-derived products is greatly enhanced by combination with observatory data and indices. As part of the Swarm Level-2 data activities plans are in place to distribute such ground-based data along with the Swarm data as auxiliary data products. We describe here the preparation of the data set of ground observatory hourly mean values, including procedures to check and select observatory data spanning the modern magnetic survey satellite era. We discuss other possible combined uses of satellite and observatory data, in particular those that may use higher cadence 1-second and 1-minute data from observatories.

The CHPRC Columbia River Protection Project Quality Assurance Project Plan

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fix, N. J.

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory researchers are working on the CHPRC Columbia River Protection Project (hereafter referred to as the Columbia River Project). This is a follow-on project, funded by CH2M Hill Plateau Remediation Company, LLC (CHPRC), to the Fluor Hanford, Inc. Columbia River Protection Project. The work scope consists of a number of CHPRC funded, related projects that are managed under a master project (project number 55109). All contract releases associated with the Fluor Hanford Columbia River Project (Fluor Hanford, Inc. Contract 27647) and the CHPRC Columbia River Project (Contract 36402) will be collected under this master project. Each projectmore » within the master project is authorized by a CHPRC contract release that contains the project-specific statement of work. This Quality Assurance Project Plan provides the quality assurance requirements and processes that will be followed by the Columbia River Project staff.« less

Historic Columbia River Highway oral history : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-08-01

The Historic Columbia River Highway: Oral History Project compliments a larger effort in Oregon to reconnect abandoned sections of the Historic Columbia River Highway. The goals of the larger reconnection project, Milepost 2016 Reconnection Projec...

Commisioning and ``First-Light'' of the Willard L. Eccles Observatory at Frisco Peak

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Springer, Wayne; Dawson, Kyle; Ricketts, Paul; Ramsrud, Nicolas; Samarasingha, Upul

2010-10-01

The University of Utah completed construction of the Willard L. Eccles Observatory located on Frisco Peak near Milford, Utah in October 2009. The observatory site is located on a prominent peak at an altitude of approximately 9600 feet in a region with minimal light pollution. The Frisco Peak site was chosen after careful consideration of many factors including climate, light pollution and available infrastructure. The facility houses a 32'' Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope manufactured by DFM Engineering of Longmont, CO. Commissioning and development of remote operation capabilities is currently being undertaken. Monitoring of the weather and seeing conditions are being performed and confirm the excellent nature of the site for astronomical observations. The observatory facilities will be used for educational and public outreach activities as well as research projects. A description of the facility and its planned use will be provided. Measurements of the ``seeing'' and night sky background from images obtained with the telescope will also be presented.

40 CFR 81.108 - Columbia Intrastate Air Quality Control Region.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Quality Control Regions § 81.108 Columbia Intrastate Air Quality Control Region. The Columbia Intrastate Air Quality Control Region (South Carolina) consists of the territorial area encompassed by the... 40 Protection of Environment 17 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Columbia Intrastate Air Quality...

40 CFR 81.108 - Columbia Intrastate Air Quality Control Region.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Quality Control Regions § 81.108 Columbia Intrastate Air Quality Control Region. The Columbia Intrastate Air Quality Control Region (South Carolina) consists of the territorial area encompassed by the... 40 Protection of Environment 17 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Columbia Intrastate Air Quality...

The Columbia Debris Loan Program; Examples of Microscopic Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Russell, Rick; Thurston, Scott; Smith, Stephen; Marder, Arnold; Steckel, Gary

2006-01-01

Following the tragic loss of the Space Shuttle Columbia NASA formed The Columbia Recovery Office (CRO). The CRO was initially formed at the Johnson Space Center after the conclusion of recovery operations on May 1,2003 and then transferred .to the Kennedy Space Center on October 6,2003 and renamed The Columbia Recovery Office and Preservation. An integral part of the preservation project was the development of a process to loan Columbia debris to qualified researchers and technical educators. The purposes of this program include aiding in the advancement of advanced spacecraft design and flight safety development, the advancement of the study of hypersonic re-entry to enhance ground safety, to train and instruct accident investigators and to establish an enduring legacy for Space Shuttle Columbia and her crew. Along with a summary of the debris loan process examples of microscopic analysis of Columbia debris items will be presented. The first example will be from the reconstruction following the STS- 107 accident and how the Materials and Proessteesa m used microscopic analysis to confirm the accident scenario. Additionally, three examples of microstructural results from the debris loan process from NASA internal, academia and private industry will be presented.

The Space Telescope Observatory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bahcall, J. N.; Odell, C. R.

1979-01-01

A convenient guide to the expected characteristics of the Space Telescope Observatory for astronomers and physicists is presented. An attempt is made to provide enough detail so that a professional scientist, observer or theorist, can plan how the observatory may be used to further his observing programs or to test theoretical models.

GAIA virtual observatory - development and practices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Syrjäsuo, Mikko; Marple, Steve

2010-05-01

The Global Auroral Imaging Access, or GAIA, is a virtual observatory providing quick access to summary data from satellite and ground-based instruments that remote sense auroral precipitation (http://gaia-vxo.org). This web-based service facilitates locating data relevant to particular events by simultaneously displaying summary images from various data sets around the world. At the moment, there are GAIA server nodes in Canada, Finland, Norway and the UK. The development is an international effort and the software and metadata are freely available. The GAIA system is based on a relational database which is queried by a dedicated software suite that also creates the graphical end-user interface if such is needed. Most commonly, the virtual observatory is used interactively by using a web browser: the user provides the date and the type of data of interest. As the summary data from multiple instruments are displayed simultaneously, the user can conveniently explore the recorded data. The virtual observatory provides essentially instant access to the images originating from all major auroral instrument networks including THEMIS, NORSTAR, GLORIA and MIRACLE. The scientific, educational and outreach use is limited by creativity rather than access. The first version of the GAIA was developed at the University of Calgary (Alberta, Canada) in 2004-2005. This proof-of-concept included mainly THEMIS and MIRACLE data, which comprised of millions of summary plots and thumbnail images. However, it was soon realised that a complete re-design was necessary to increase flexibility. In the presentation, we will discuss the early history and motivation of GAIA as well as how the development continued towards the current version. The emphasis will be on practical problems and their solutions. Relevant design choices will also be highlighted.

KSC-99pp0413

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-04-15

The Space Shuttle orbiter Columbia sits outside the Orbiter Processing Facility bay 1 after transfer from the Vehicle Assembly Building. Columbia will undergo processing for mission STS-93, targeted for launch in July 1999. The STS-93 mission will deploy the Chandra X-ray Observatory (formerly AXAF) which comprises three major elements: the spacecraft, the telescope, and the science instrument module (SIM). Chandra will allow scientists from around the world to obtain unprecedented X-ray images of a variety of high-energy objects to help understand the structure and evolution of the universe. The STs-93 mission commander is Eileen M. Collins, the first woman to serve in that capacity

Possible Space-Based Gravitational-Wave Observatory Mission Concept

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Livas, Jeffrey C.

2015-01-01

The existence of gravitational waves was established by the discovery of the Binary Pulsar PSR 1913+16 by Hulse and Taylor in 1974, for which they were awarded the 1983 Nobel Prize. However, it is the exploitation of these gravitational waves for the extraction of the astrophysical parameters of the sources that will open the first new astronomical window since the development of gamma ray telescopes in the 1970's and enable a new era of discovery and understanding of the Universe. Direct detection is expected in at least two frequency bands from the ground before the end of the decade with Advanced LIGO and Pulsar Timing Arrays. However, many of the most exciting sources will be continuously observable in the band from 0.1-100 mHz, accessible only from space due to seismic noise and gravity gradients in that band that disturb ground-based observatories. This poster will discuss a possible mission concept, Space-based Gravitational-wave Observatory (SGO-Mid) developed from the original Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) reference mission but updated to reduce risk and cost.

Studies of dark energy with X-ray observatories.

PubMed

Vikhlinin, Alexey

2010-04-20

I review the contribution of Chandra X-ray Observatory to studies of dark energy. There are two broad classes of observable effects of dark energy: evolution of the expansion rate of the Universe, and slow down in the rate of growth of cosmic structures. Chandra has detected and measured both of these effects through observations of galaxy clusters. A combination of the Chandra results with other cosmological datasets leads to 5% constraints on the dark energy equation-of-state parameter, and limits possible deviations of gravity on large scales from general relativity.

INTERMAGNET and magnetic observatories

USGS Publications Warehouse

Love, Jeffrey J.; Chulliat, Arnaud

2012-01-01

A magnetic observatory is a specially designed ground-based facility that supports time-series measurement of the Earth’s magnetic field. Observatory data record a superposition of time-dependent signals related to a fantastic diversity of physical processes in the Earth’s core, mantle, lithosphere, ocean, ionosphere, magnetosphere, and, even, the Sun and solar wind.

Astronomical Archive at Tartu Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Annuk, K.

2007-10-01

Archiving astronomical data is important task not only at large observatories but also at small observatories. Here we describe the astronomical archive at Tartu Observatory. The archive consists of old photographic plate images, photographic spectrograms, CCD direct--images and CCD spectroscopic data. The photographic plate digitizing project was started in 2005. An on-line database (based on MySQL) was created. The database includes CCD data as well photographic data. A PHP-MySQL interface was written for access to all data.

Flathead River Basin Hydrologic Observatory, Northern Rocky Mountains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woessner, W. W.; Running, S. W.; Potts, D. F.; Kimball, J. S.; Deluca, T. H.; Fagre, D. B.; Makepeace, S.; Hendrix, M. S.; Lorang, M. S.; Ellis, B. K.; Lafave, J.; Harper, J.

2004-12-01

We are proposing the 22, 515 km2 glacially-sculpted Flathead River Basin located in Montana and British Columbia as a Hydrologic Observatory. This hydrologic landscape is diverse and includes large pristine watersheds, rapidly developing intermountain valleys, and a 95 km2 regulated reservoir and 510 km2 lake. The basin has a topographic gradient of over 2,339 m, and spans high alpine to arid climatic zones and a range of biomes. Stream flows are snow-melt dominated and underpinned by groundwater baseflow. The site headwaters contain 37 glaciers and thousands of square kilometers of watersheds in which fire and disease are the only disturbances. In contrast, the HO also contains watersheds at multiple scales that were dominated by glaciers within the last 100 years but are now glacier free, impacted by timber harvests and fires of varying ages to varying degrees, modified by water management practices including irrigation diversion and dams, and altered by development for homes, cities and agriculture. This Observatory provides a sensitive monitor of historic and future climatic shifts, air shed influences and impacts, and the consequences of land and water management practices on the hydrologic system. The HO watersheds are some of the only pristine watersheds left in the contiguous U.S.. They provide critical habitat for key species including the native threaten bull trout and lynx, and the listed western cutthroat trout, bald eagle, gray wolf and the grizzly bear. For the last several thousand years this system has been dominated by snow-melt runoff and moderated by large quantities of water stored in glacial ice. However, the timing and magnitude of droughts and summer flows have changed dramatically. With the information that can be gleaned from sediment cores and landscape records at different scales, this HO provides scientists with opportunities to establish baseline watershed conditions and data on natural hydrologic variability within the system. Such a

The detection of global convection on the sun by an analysis of line shift data of the John M. Wilcox Solar Observatory at Stanford University

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yoshimura, Hirokazu

1987-01-01

Signatures of the existence of the global convection in the sun were found in the absorption line shift data of the John M. Wilcox Solar Observatory at Stanford University. The signatures are characterized by persistent periodic time variations in the east-west component of the velocity fields defined by fitting a slope to the line shift data in a certain longitude window at a specified latitude and longitude by a least square method. The variations indicate that the amplitude of the velocity fields is about 100 m/s. It is suggested that several modes of global convection are coexisting in the solar convection zone.

WFIRST Observatory Performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kruk, Jeffrey W.

2012-01-01

The WFIRST observatory will be a powerful and flexible wide-field near-infrared facility. The planned surveys will provide data applicable to an enormous variety of astrophysical science. This presentation will provide a description of the observatory and its performance characteristics. This will include a discussion of the point spread function, signal-to-noise budgets for representative observing scenarios and the corresponding limiting sensitivity. Emphasis will be given to providing prospective Guest Observers with information needed to begin thinking about new observing programs.

The Exoplanet Microlensing Survey by the Proposed WFIRST Observatory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barry, Richard; Kruk, Jeffrey; Anderson, Jay; Beaulieu, Jean-Philippe; Bennett, David P.; Catanzarite, Joseph; Cheng, Ed; Gaudi, Scott; Gehrels, Neil; Kane, Stephen;

Archive interoperability in the Virtual Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Genova, Françoise

2003-02-01

Main goals of Virtual Observatory projects are to build interoperability between astronomical on-line services, observatory archives, databases and results published in journals, and to develop tools permitting the best scientific usage from the very large data sets stored in observatory archives and produced by large surveys. The different Virtual Observatory projects collaborate to define common exchange standards, which are the key for a truly International Virtual Observatory: for instance their first common milestone has been a standard allowing exchange of tabular data, called VOTable. The Interoperability Work Area of the European Astrophysical Virtual Observatory project aims at networking European archives, by building a prototype using the CDS VizieR and Aladin tools, and at defining basic rules to help archive providers in interoperability implementation. The prototype is accessible for scientific usage, to get user feedback (and science results!) at an early stage of the project. ISO archive participates very actively to this endeavour, and more generally to information networking. The on-going inclusion of the ISO log in SIMBAD will allow higher level links for users.

Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Becklin, Eric E.

1998-08-01

The joint US and German SOFIA project to develop and operate a 2.5 meter IR airborne telescope in a Boeing 747-SP is now in its second year. The Universities Space Research Association, teamed with Raytheon E-Systems and United Airlines, is developing and will operate SOFIA. The 2.5 meter telescope will be designed and built by a consortium of German companies led by MAN. Work on the aircraft and the primary mirror has started. First science flights will begin in 2001 with 20 percent of the observing time assigned to German investigators. The observatory is expected to operate for over 20 years. The sensitivity, characteristics and science instrument complement are discussed.

ESO's First Observatory Celebrates 40th Anniversary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2009-03-01

ESO's La Silla Observatory, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary, became the largest astronomical observatory of its time. It led Europe to the frontline of astronomical research, and is still one of the most scientifically productive in ground-based astronomy. ESO PR Photo 12a/09 La Silla Aerial View ESO PR Photo 12b/09 The ESO New Technology Telescope ESO PR Photo 12c/09 SEST on La Silla ESO PR Photo 12d/09 Looking for the best site ESO PR Video 12a/09 ESOcast 5 With about 300 refereed publications attributable to the work of the observatory per year, La Silla remains at the forefront of astronomy. It has led to an enormous number of scientific discoveries, including several "firsts". The HARPS spectrograph is the world's foremost exoplanet hunter. It detected the system around Gliese 581, which contains what may be the first known rocky planet in a habitable zone, outside the Solar System (ESO 22/07). Several telescopes at La Silla played a crucial role in discovering that the expansion of the Universe is accelerating (ESO 21/98) and in linking gamma-ray bursts -- the most energetic explosions in the Universe since the Big Bang - with the explosions of massive stars (ESO 15/98). Since 1987, the ESO La Silla Observatory has also played an important role in the study and follow-up of the nearest supernova, SN 1987A (ESO 08/07). "The La Silla Observatory continues to offer the astronomical community exceptional capabilities," says ESO Director General, Tim de Zeeuw. "It was ESO's first presence in Chile and as such, it triggered a very long and fruitful collaboration with this country and its scientific community." The La Silla Observatory is located at the edge of the Chilean Atacama Desert, one of the driest and loneliest areas of the world. Like other observatories in this geographical area, La Silla is located far from sources of polluting light and, as the Paranal Observatory that houses the Very Large Telescope, it has one of the darkest and clearest

Assessment of Internship Effectiveness in South Italy Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

della Volpe, Maddalena

2017-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to describe and discuss the way internships are currently evaluated in Campania Universities by host institutions. Design/methodology/approach: The author collected and described questionnaires used by the universities of the Regional Observatory of Campania University System. These questionnaires are given by…

Instruments at the Lowell Observatory Discovery Channel Telescope (DCT)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jacoby, George H.; Bida, Thomas A.; Fischer, Debra; Horch, Elliott; Kutyrev, Alexander; Mace, Gregory N.; Massey, Philip; Roe, Henry G.; Prato, Lisa A.

2017-01-01

The Lowell Observatory Discovery Channel Telescope (DCT) has been in full science operation for 2 years (2015 and 2016). Five instruments have been commissioned during that period, and two additional instruments are planned for 2017. These include:+ Large Monolithic Imager (LMI) - a CCD imager (12.6 arcmin FoV)+ DeVeny - a general purpose optical spectrograph (2 arcmin slit length, 10 grating choices)+ NIHTS - a low resolution (R=160) YJHK spectrograph (1.3 arcmin slit)+ DSSI - a two-channel optical speckle imager (5 arcsec FoV)+ IGRINS - a high resolution (45,000) HK spectrograph, on loan from the University of Texas.In the upcoming year, instruments will be delivered from the University of Maryland (RIMAS - a YJHK imager/spectrograph) and from Yale University (EXPRES - a very high resolution stabilized optical echelle for PRV).Each of these instruments will be described, along with their primary science goals.

Sofia Observatory Performance and Characterization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Temi, Pasquale; Miller, Walter; Dunham, Edward; McLean, Ian; Wolf, Jurgen; Becklin, Eric; Bida, Tom; Brewster, Rick; Casey, Sean; Collins, Peter;

The architecture of Hamburg-Bergedorf Observatory 1906 - 1912, compared with other observatories (German Title: Die Architektur der Hamburg-Bergedorfer Sternwarte 1906 - 1912 im Vergleich mit anderen Observatorien)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Müller, Peter

The foundation of the astrophysical observatories in Potsdam-Telegrafenberg in 1874, in Meudon near Paris in 1875 and in Mount Hamilton in California in 1875 resulted in a complete change of observatory architecture. Astrometry had become irrelevant; meridian halls, i.e. an exact north-south orientation, were no longer necessary. The location in the centre of a (university) town was disadvantageous, due to vibrations caused by traffic and artificial light at night. New principles were defined: considerable distance (from the city center), secluded and exposed position (on a mountain) and construction of pavilions: inside a park a pavilion was built for each instrument. Other observatories of this type are: Pic du Midi in the French Alps, built as from 1878 as the first permanent observatory in the high mountains; Nice, Mont Gros, (1879); Brussels, Uccle (1883); Edinburgh, Blackford Hill (1892); Heidelberg, Königstuhl (1896); Barcelona, Monte Tibidado (1902). The original Hamburg Observatory was a modest rectangular building near the Millernrtor; in 1833 it became a State institute. As from 1906 erection of a spacious complex in Bergedorf, 20 km northeast of the city center, took place. Except for the unavailable position on a mountain, this complex fulfilled all principles of a modern observatory: in a park pavilion architecture in an elegant neo-baroque style designed by Albert Erbe (architect of the new Hamburger Kunsthalle with cupola). At the Hamburg Observatory the domed structures were cleverly hierarchised leaving an open view to the south. At the beginning astrometry and astrophysics were equally important; there was still a meridian circle. Apart from that, the instruments were manifold: a large refractor 0.60 m (installed by Repsold/Hamburg, 9 m focal length) and a large reflector 1 m (Zeiss/Jena, 3m focal length). Both were the largest instruments of their kind in the German Empire. In addition, there was the Lippert Astrograph on an elegant polar

In Brief: Deep-sea observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Showstack, Randy

2008-11-01

The first deep-sea ocean observatory offshore of the continental United States has begun operating in the waters off central California. The remotely operated Monterey Accelerated Research System (MARS) will allow scientists to monitor the deep sea continuously. Among the first devices to be hooked up to the observatory are instruments to monitor earthquakes, videotape deep-sea animals, and study the effects of acidification on seafloor animals. ``Some day we may look back at the first packets of data streaming in from the MARS observatory as the equivalent of those first words spoken by Alexander Graham Bell: `Watson, come here, I need you!','' commented Marcia McNutt, president and CEO of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, which coordinated construction of the observatory. For more information, see http://www.mbari.org/news/news_releases/2008/mars-live/mars-live.html.

Practice and payment preferences of newly practising family physicians in British Columbia

PubMed Central

Brcic, Vanessa; McGregor, Margaret J.; Kaczorowski, Janusz; Dharamsi, Shafik; Verma, Serena

2012-01-01

Abstract Objective To examine the remuneration model preferences of newly practising family physicians. Design Mixed-methods study comprising a cross-sectional, Web-based survey, as well as qualitative content analysis of answers to open-ended questions. Setting British Columbia. Participants University of British Columbia family practice residents who graduated between 2000 and 2009. Main outcome measures Preferred remuneration models of newly practising physicians. Results The survey response rate was 31% (133 of 430). Of respondents, 71% (93 of 132) preferred non–fee-for-service practice models and 86% (110 of 132) identified the payment model as very or somewhat important in their choice of future practice. Three principal themes were identified from content analysis of respondents’ open-ended comments: frustrations with fee-for-service billing, which encompassed issues related to aggravations with “the business side of things” and was seen as impeding “the freedom to focus on medicine”; quality of patient care, which embraced the importance of a payment model that supported “comprehensive patient care” and “quality rather than quantity”; and freedom to choose, which supported the plurality of practice preferences among providers who strived to provide quality care for patients, “whatever model you happen to be working in.” Conclusion Newly practising physicians in British Columbia preferred alternatives to fee-for-service payment models, which were perceived as contributing to fewer frustrations with billing systems, improved quality of work life, and better quality of patient care. PMID:22586205

4. South Elevation Columbia Island Abutment Four; South Elevation ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

4. South Elevation - Columbia Island Abutment Four; South Elevation - Washington Abutment One - Arlington Memorial Bridge, Spanning Potomac River between Lincoln Memorial & Arlington National Cemetery, Washington, District of Columbia, DC

The Role of the Virtual Astronomical Observatory in the Era of Big Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berriman, G. B.; Hanisch, R. J.; Lazio, T. J.

2013-01-01

The Virtual Observatory (VO) is realizing global electronic integration of astronomy data. The rapid growth in the size and complexity of data sets is transforming the computing landscape in astronomy. One of the long-term goals of the U.S. VO project, the Virtual Astronomical Observatory (VAO), is development of an information backbone that responds to this growth. Such a backbone will, when complete, provide innovative mechanisms for fast discovery of, and access to, massive data sets, and services that enable distributed storage, publication processing of large datasets. All these services will be built so that new projects can incorporate them as part of their data management and processing plans. Services under development to date include a general purpose indexing scheme for fast access to data sets, a cross-comparison engine that operate on catalogs of 1 billion records or more, and an interface for managing distributed data sets and connecting them to data discovery and analysis tools. The VAO advises projects on technology solutions for their data access and processing needs, and recently advised the Sagan Workshop on using cloud computing to support hands-on data analysis sessions for 150+ participants. Acknowledgements: The Virtual Astronomical Observatory (VAO) is managed by the VAO, LLC, a non-profit company established as a partnership of the Associated Universities, Inc. and the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc. The VAO is sponsored by the National Science Foundation and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

New Opportunities for Cabled Ocean Observatories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duennebier, F. K.; Butler, R.; Karl, D. M.; Roger, L. B.

2002-12-01

With the decommissioning of transoceanic telecommunications cables as they become obsolete or uneconomical, there is an opportunity to use these systems for ocean observatories. Two coaxial cables, TPC-1 and HAW-2 are currently in use for observatories, and another, ANZCAN, is scheduled to be used beginning in 2004 to provide a cabled observatory at Station ALOHA, north of Oahu. The ALOHA observatory will provide several Mb/s data rates and about 1 kW of power to experiments installed at Station ALOHA. Sensors can be installed either by wet mateable connection to a junction box on the ocean floor using an ROV, or by acoustic data link to the system. In either case real-time data will be provided to users over the Internet. A Small Experiment Module, to be first installed at the Hawaii-2 Observatory, and later at Station ALOHA, will provide relatively cheap and uncomplicated access to the observatories for relatively simple sensors. Within the next few years, the first electro-optical cables installed in the 1980's will be decommissioned and could be available for scientific use. These cables could provide long "extension cords" (thousands of km) with very high bandwidth and reasonable power to several observatories in remote locations in the ocean. While they could be used in-place, a more exciting scenario is to use cable ships to pick up sections of cable and move them to locations of higher scientific interest. While such moves would not be cheap, the costs would rival the cost of installation and maintenance of a buoyed observatory, with far more bandwidth and power available for science use.

Daily variation characteristics at polar geomagnetic observatories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lepidi, S.; Cafarella, L.; Pietrolungo, M.; Di Mauro, D.

2011-08-01

This paper is based on the statistical analysis of the diurnal variation as observed at six polar geomagnetic observatories, three in the Northern and three in the Southern hemisphere. Data are for 2006, a year of low geomagnetic activity. We compared the Italian observatory Mario Zucchelli Station (TNB; corrected geomagnetic latitude: 80.0°S), the French-Italian observatory Dome C (DMC; 88.9°S), the French observatory Dumont D'Urville (DRV; 80.4°S) and the three Canadian observatories, Resolute Bay (RES; 83.0°N), Cambridge Bay (CBB; 77.0°N) and Alert (ALE, 87.2°N). The aim of this work was to highlight analogies and differences in daily variation as observed at the different observatories during low geomagnetic activity year, also considering Interplanetary Magnetic Field conditions and geomagnetic indices.

Status of the interior Columbia Basin: summary of scientific findings.

Treesearch

Forest Service. U.S. Department of Agriculture

1996-01-01

The Status of the Interior Columbia Basin is a summary of the scientific findings from the Interior Columbia Basin Ecosystem Management Project. The Interior Columbia Basin includes some 145 million acres within the northwestern United Stales. Over 75 million acres of this area are managed by the USDA Forest Service or the USDI Bureau of Land Management. A framework...

Observatories of Sawai Jai Singh II

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson-Roehr, Susan N.

Sawai Jai Singh II, Maharaja of Amber and Jaipur, constructed five observatories in the second quarter of the eighteenth century in the north Indian cities of Shahjahanabad (Delhi), Jaipur, Ujjain, Mathura, and Varanasi. Believing the accuracy of his naked-eye observations would improve with larger, more stable instruments, Jai Singh reengineered common brass instruments using stone construction methods. His applied ingenuity led to the invention of several outsize masonry instruments, the majority of which were used to determine the coordinates of celestial objects with reference to the local horizon. During Jai Singh's lifetime, the observatories were used to make observations in order to update existing ephemerides such as the Zīj-i Ulugh Begī. Jai Singh established communications with European astronomers through a number of Jesuits living and working in India. In addition to dispatching ambassadorial parties to Portugal, he invited French and Bavarian Jesuits to visit and make use of the observatories in Shahjahanabad and Jaipur. The observatories were abandoned after Jai Singh's death in 1743 CE. The Mathura observatory was disassembled completely before 1857. The instruments at the remaining observatories were restored extensively during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

Analysis of High Frequency Seismic Data

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-01-31

Laboratory Berkeley, CA 94720 P.O. Box 1620 La Jolla, CA 92038-1620 Dr. Richard LaCoss Prof. William Menke MIT-Lincoln Laboratory Lamont-Doherty Geological...Prof. Christopher H. Scholz Dr. William Wortman Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory Mission Research Corporation of Columbia University 735 State...94305 Reston, VA 22091 Mr. William J. Best Prof. Robert W. Clayton 907 Westwood Drive Seismological Laboratory Vienna, VA 22180 Division of Geological

The Pierre Auger Cosmic Ray Observatory

DOE PAGES

Aab, Alexander

2015-07-08

The Pierre Auger Observatory, located on a vast, high plain in western Argentina, is the world's largest cosmic ray observatory. The objectives of the Observatory are to probe the origin and characteristics of cosmic rays above 1017 eV and study the interactions of these, the most energetic particles observed in nature. The Auger design features an array of 1660 water Cherenkov particle detector stations spread over 3000 km 2 overlooked by 24 air fluorescence telescopes. Additionally, three high elevation fluorescence telescopes overlook a 23.5 km 2, 61-detector infilled array with 750 m spacing. The Observatory has been in successful operationmore » since completion in 2008 and has recorded data from an exposure exceeding 40,000 km 2 sr yr. This paper describes the design and performance of the detectors, related subsystems and infrastructure that make up the Observatory.« less

Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory as Cultural Centre

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mickaelian, A. M.; Farmanyan, S. V.

2017-07-01

NAS RA V. Ambartsumian Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory is presented as a cultural centre for Armenia and the Armenian nation in general. Besides being scientific and educational centre, the Observatory is famous for its unique architectural ensemble, rich botanical garden and world of birds, as well as it is one of the most frequently visited sightseeing of Armenia. In recent years, the Observatory has also taken the initiative of the coordination of the Cultural Astronomy in Armenia and in this field, unites the astronomers, historians, archaeologists, ethnographers, culturologists, literary critics, linguists, art historians and other experts. Keywords: Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory, architecture, botanic garden, tourism, Cultural Astronomy.

Columbia River Component Data Gap Analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

L. C. Hulstrom

2007-10-23

This Data Gap Analysis report documents the results of a study conducted by Washington Closure Hanford (WCH) to compile and reivew the currently available surface water and sediment data for the Columbia River near and downstream of the Hanford Site. This Data Gap Analysis study was conducted to review the adequacy of the existing surface water and sediment data set from the Columbia River, with specific reference to the use of the data in future site characterization and screening level risk assessments.

KSC-99pp0354

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-03-26

Viewed from above in the Vertical Processing Facility, the Chandra X-ray Observatory is seen with one of its solar panel arrays attached, at right. Formerly called the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility, Chandra comprises three major elements: the spacecraft, the science instrument module (SIM), and the world's most powerful X-ray telescope. Chandra will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of our universe. Chandra is scheduled for launch July 9 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, on mission STS-93

KSC-99pp0356

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-03-25

In the Vertical Processing Facility, TRW workers continue checking the deployment of the solar panel array (right) after attaching it to the Chandra X-ray Observatory (left). Formerly called the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility, Chandra comprises three major elements: the spacecraft, the science instrument module (SIM), and the world's most powerful X-ray telescope. Chandra will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of our universe. Chandra is scheduled for launch July 9 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, on mission STS-93

KSC-99pp0363

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-03-26

TRW workers in the Vertical Processing Facility check equipment after deployment of the solar panel array above them, attached to the Chandra X-ray Observatory. Formerly called the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility, Chandra comprises three major elements: the spacecraft, the science instrument module (SIM), and the world's most powerful X-ray telescope. Chandra will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of our universe. Chandra is scheduled for launch July 9 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, on mission STS-93

KSC-99pp0353

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-03-26

In the Vertical Processing Facility, a TRW technician checks the attachment of the solar panel array (out of sight to the right) to the Chandra X-ray Observatory, at left. Formerly called the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility, Chandra comprises three major elements: the spacecraft, the science instrument module (SIM), and the world's most powerful X-ray telescope. Chandra will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of our universe. Chandra is scheduled for launch July 9 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, on mission STS-93

KSC-99pp0362

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-03-26

In the Vertical Processing Facility, the Chandra X-ray Observatory is observed after deployment of the solar panel array (near the bottom and to the right). Formerly called the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility, Chandra comprises three major elements: the spacecraft, the science instrument module (SIM), and the world's most powerful X-ray telescope. Chandra will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of our universe. Chandra is scheduled for launch July 9 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, on mission STS-93

Collective Bargaining Agreement between Board of Trustees of Lower Columbia College District 13 and Lower Columbia Faculty Association, 1987-1990.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lower Columbia Coll., Longview, WA.

This contractual agreement between the Board of Trustees of Lower Columbia College (LCC) District 13 and the Lower Columbia College Faculty Association outlines the terms of employment for all academic employees of the district. The 13 articles in the agreement set forth provisions related to: (1) recognition of the association as exclusive…

The Great Observatories Origins Deep Survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dickinson, Mark

2008-05-01

Observing the formation and evolution of ordinary galaxies at early cosmic times requires data at many wavelengths in order to recognize, separate and analyze the many physical processes which shape galaxies' history, including the growth of large scale structure, gravitational interactions, star formation, and active nuclei. Extremely deep data, covering an adequately large volume, are needed to detect ordinary galaxies in sufficient numbers at such great distances. The Great Observatories Origins Deep Survey (GOODS) was designed for this purpose as an anthology of deep field observing programs that span the electromagnetic spectrum. GOODS targets two fields, one in each hemisphere. Some of the deepest and most extensive imaging and spectroscopic surveys have been carried out in the GOODS fields, using nearly every major space- and ground-based observatory. Many of these data have been taken as part of large, public surveys (including several Hubble Treasury, Spitzer Legacy, and ESO Large Programs), which have produced large data sets that are widely used by the astronomical community. I will review the history of the GOODS program, highlighting results on the formation and early growth of galaxies and their active nuclei. I will also describe new and upcoming observations, such as the GOODS Herschel Key Program, which will continue to fill out our portrait of galaxies in the young universe.

Educational Programs at the Lake Afton Public Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alexander, D. R.; Novacek, G. R.

1994-05-01

The Lake Afton Public Observatory was founded 14 years ago as a joint project of the city, county, local schools, and Wichita State University to provide educational programs for the public and school children. A staff of 4 professional astronomers presents daytime and evening programs at the Observatory and makes presentations in schools to over 20,000 people per year. Programs are scheduled 6 days a week during the academic year and 3 days a week in the summer. Our public programs deviate significantly from the traditional observatory open house by following a specific theme. Selection and discussion of each object is centered on that theme. For example, a program on The Life Story of a Star would view a diffuse nebula (to discuss star formation), a young star cluster (to discuss one outcome of star formation), a double star (to discuss how the properties of stars are determined), and a planetary nebula (to discuss the death of a star). To complement the observing experiences of our visitors, we have developed a wide range of interactive exhibits to develop the concepts touched on in the viewing programs. We have also developed exhibit lending kits for extended use in school classrooms, educational games, activity manuals for teachers, and short videos to introduce single concepts in the classroom. In the past year we have begun to offer a series of workshops for in-service teachers to expand their knowledge of astronomy and to provide them with additional resources for teaching astronomy. This work is supported in part by NSF EPSCoR grant OSR-9255223.

Promoting Your e-Books: Lessons from the UK JISC National e-Book Observatory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lonsdale, Ray; Armstrong, Chris

2010-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to describe the findings from the qualitative strand of the National e-Book Observatory (2007-2009) project, relating to the promotion of e-textbooks in UK universities by the library, academics and publishers. A complementary paper on the ways in which students and academics locate e-books provided by their…

An international network of magnetic observatories

USGS Publications Warehouse

Love, Jeffrey J.; Chulliat, A.

2013-01-01

Since its formation in the late 1980s, the International Real-Time Magnetic Observatory Network (INTERMAGNET), a voluntary consortium of geophysical institutes from around the world, has promoted the operation of magnetic observatories according to modern standards [eg. Rasson, 2007]. INTERMAGNET institutes have cooperatively developed infrastructure for data exchange and management ads well as methods for data processing and checking. INTERMAGNET institute have also helped to expand global geomagnetic monitoring capacity, most notably by assisting magnetic observatory institutes in economically developing countries by working directly with local geophysicists. Today the INTERMAGNET consortium encompasses 57 institutes from 40 countries supporting 120 observatories (see Figures 1a and 1b). INTERMAGNET data record a wide variety of time series signals related to a host of different physical processes in the Earth's interiors and in the Earth's surrounding space environment [e.g., Love, 2008]. Observatory data have always had a diverse user community, and to meet evolving demand, INTERMAGNET has recently coordinated the introduction of several new data services.

NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory Unveils New Images

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-04-20

Alan Title, second from left, principal investigator, Atmospheric Imaging Assembly instrument, Lockheed Martin Solar and Astrophysics Laboratory in Palo Alto, speaks during a briefing to discuss recent images from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, or SDO, Wednesday, April 21, 2010, at the Newseum in Washington. Launched on Feb. 11, 2010, SDO is the most advanced spacecraft ever designed to study the sun. During its five-year mission, it will examine the sun's magnetic field and also provide a better understanding of the role the sun plays in Earth's atmospheric chemistry and climate. Pictured from left to right: Dean Pesnell, SDO project scientist, Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., Alan Title, Philip H. Scherrer, principal investigator, Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager instrument, Stanford University in Palo Alto, Tom Woods, principal investigator, Extreme Ultraviolet Variability Experiment instrument, Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado in Boulder and Madhulika Guhathakurta, SDO program scientist, NASA Headquarters in Washington. Photo Credit: (NASA/Carla Cioffi)

White Sturgeon Mitigation and Restoration in the Columbia and Snake Rivers Upstream from Bonneville Dam; Annual Progress Report, April 2007 - March 2008.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mallette, Christine

2009-07-28

We report on our progress from April 2007 through March 2008 on determining the effects of mitigative measures on productivity of white sturgeon populations in the Columbia River downstream from McNary Dam, and on determining the status and habitat requirements of white sturgeon populations in the Columbia and Snake rivers upstream from McNary Dam. The study is a cooperative effort by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW; Report A), Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW; Report B), Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission (CRITFC; Report C), and Montana State University (MSU; Report D). This is a multi-year studymore » with many objectives requiring more than one year to complete; therefore, findings from a given year may be part of more significant findings yet to be reported.« less

OSO-6 Orbiting Solar Observatory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

The description, development history, test history, and orbital performance analysis of the OSO-6 Orbiting Solar Observatory are presented. The OSO-6 Orbiting Solar Observatory was the sixth flight model of a series of scientific spacecraft designed to provide a stable platform for experiments engaged in the collection of solar and celestial radiation data. The design objective was 180 days of orbital operation. The OSO-6 has telemetered an enormous amount of very useful experiment and housekeeping data to GSFC ground stations. Observatory operation during the two-year reporting period was very successful except for some experiment instrument problems.

New Columbia Admission Act

THOMAS, 112th Congress

Rep. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large

2011-01-12

House - 02/08/2011 Referred to the Subcommittee on Health Care, District of Columbia, Census and the National Archives . (All Actions) Tracker: This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:

The Columbia River--on the Leading Edge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Connor, J. E.

2005-05-01

On the leading edge of the North American plate, the Columbia River is the largest of the world's 40 or so rivers with drainage areas greater than 500,000 square kilometers to drain toward a convergent plate boundary. This unique setting results in a unique continental river basin; marked by episodic and cataclysmic geologic disturbance, but also famously fecund with perhaps 10 to 16 million salmon historically spawning in its waters each year. Now transformed by dams, transportation infrastructure, dikes and diversions, the Columbia River presents an expensive conundrum for management of its many values. Inclusion of river ecology and geomorphology in discussions of river management is generally limited to observations of the last 200 years-a time period of little natural disturbance and low sediment transport. However, consideration of longer timescales provides additional perspective of historical ecologic and geomorphic conditions. Only 230 km from its mouth, the Columbia River bisects the volcanic arc of the Cascade Range, forming the Columbia River Gorge. Cenozoic lava flows have blocked the river, forcing diversions and new canyon cutting. Holocene eruptions of Mount Mazama (Crater Lake), Mount Hood, Mount St. Helens, and Mount Rainier have shed immense quantities of sediment into the lower Columbia River, forming a large percentage of the Holocene sediment transported through the lower river. Quaternary landslides, perhaps triggered by great earthquakes, have descended from the 1000-m-high gorge walls, also blocking and diverting the river, one as recently as 550 years ago. These geologic disturbances, mostly outside the realm of historical observation and operating at timescales of 100s to 1000s of years in the gorge and elsewhere, have clearly affected basin geomorphology, riverine ecology, and past and present cultural utilization of river resources. The historic productivity of the river, however, hints at extraordinary resilience (and perhaps

Cognitive Dissidents Bite the Dust--The Demise of University Education in Canada's Prisons.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duguid, Stephen

1993-01-01

Documents the demise of the 20-year university education program in British Columbia prisons as a new national strategy stressed correctional goals and behavior change over the humanities/moral development thrust of the Simon Fraser University curriculum. (SK)

STS-93 M.S. Stephen Hawley in the White Room

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

STS-93 Mission Specialist Stephen A. Hawley (Ph.D.) is checked out by white room closeout crew members before entering the orbiter Columbia. In the background is Mission Specialist Michel Tognini of France, waiting to enter Columbia. The white room is an environmental chamber at the end of the orbiter access arm that provides entry to the orbiter crew compartment. STS-93 is a five-day mission primarily to release the Chandra X-ray Observatory, which will allow scientists from around the world to study some of the most distant, powerful and dynamic objects in the universe. After Space Shuttle Columbia's July 20 and 22 launch attempts were scrubbed, the launch was again rescheduled for Friday, July 23, at 12:24 a.m. EDT. The target landing date is July 27 at 11:20 p.m. EDT.

The detection of global convection on the sun by an analysis of line shift data of the John M. Wilcox Solar Observatory at Stanford University

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yoshimura, Hirokazu

1987-01-01

An analysis of the absorption line shift data of the John M. Wilcox Solar Observatory at Stanford University has yielded signatures of the existence of global convection on the sun. These include persistent periodic time variations in the east-west component of the velocity fields defined by fitting a slope to the line shift data in a certain longitude window at a specified latitude and longitude by the least squares method. The amplitude of the velocity fields estimated from these variations is of the order of 100 m/s. The results of the analysis also suggest that several modes of global convection coexist in the solar convection zone. Details of the analysis are given.

The Search for Hot Jupiters using Red Buttes Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sorber, Rebecca L.; Kar, Aman; Hancock, Daniel A.; Leuquire, Jacob D.; Suhaimi, Afiq; Kasper, David; Jang-Condell, Hannah

2018-01-01

The goal of this research is to use the University of Wyoming’s Red Buttes Observatory (RBO) to perform manual, remote, or automated observations of transiting exoplanet candidates. The data contributes to discovery of star systems that include never before identified exoplanets. RBO houses a 0.6-meter telescope and is located approximately 10 miles south of the University of Wyoming’s campus. Our targets are catalogued by the KELT (Kilodegree Extremely Little Telescope) Survey, a photometric search for transiting exoplanets around bright main sequence stars. The KELT Follow-up Network (KELT-FUN), a collaboration of small-aperture telescope users located all over the world, confirms new exoplanet candidates. As part of KELT-FUN, students use the RBO to monitor candidates identified by the KELT team. RBO typically detects transits around stars that are 8-12 in V magnitude, with transit durations of ~1-4 hours and full depth relative changes in brightness above 2 mmags. Using AstroImageJ, we process the data and we look for any indication of a transit occurrence in the processed lightcurve which might confirm the presence of the potential exoplanet. Our team has contributed over 50 light curves to KELT-FUN to date. We are able to compare our data with simultaneous observations by other members of KELT-FUN to maximize the utility of our observations. This project gives undergraduates an authentic scientific research experience, learning how to operate an observatory, process data, and participate in a scientific collaboration.

Moving toward queue operations at the Large Binocular Telescope Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Edwards, Michelle L.; Summers, Doug; Astier, Joseph; Suarez Sola, Igor; Veillet, Christian; Power, Jennifer; Cardwell, Andrew; Walsh, Shane

2016-07-01

The Large Binocular Telescope Observatory (LBTO), a joint scientific venture between the Instituto Nazionale di Astrofisica (INAF), LBT Beteiligungsgesellschaft (LBTB), University of Arizona, Ohio State University (OSU), and the Research Corporation, is one of the newest additions to the world's collection of large optical/infrared ground-based telescopes. With its unique, twin 8.4m mirror design providing a 22.8 meter interferometric baseline and the collecting area of an 11.8m telescope, LBT has a window of opportunity to exploit its singular status as the "first" of the next generation of Extremely Large Telescopes (ELTs). Prompted by urgency to maximize scientific output during this favorable interval, LBTO recently re-evaluated its operations model and developed a new strategy that augments classical observing with queue. Aided by trained observatory staff, queue mode will allow for flexible, multi-instrument observing responsive to site conditions. Our plan is to implement a staged rollout that will provide many of the benefits of queue observing sooner rather than later - with more bells and whistles coming in future stages. In this paper, we outline LBTO's new scientific model, focusing specifically on our "lean" resourcing and development, reuse and adaptation of existing software, challenges presented from our one-of-a-kind binocular operations, and lessons learned. We also outline further stages of development and our ultimate goals for queue.

The Value of Wilderness Orientation Programs at Colleges and Universities in the United States.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gass, Michael A.

A 1983 mail survey identified 34 universities and colleges utilizing the wilderness environment as a means to indoctrinate students into a school setting and resulted in: (1) the creation of a networking system of these institutions; (2) the identification of the University of Missouri at Columbia, Cornell University, Towson State University,…

The Great Observatories All-Sky LIRG Survey: Herschel Image Atlas and Aperture Photometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chu, Jason K.; Sanders, D. B.; Larson, K. L.; Mazzarella, J. M.; Howell, J. H.; Díaz-Santos, T.; Xu, K. C.; Paladini, R.; Schulz, B.; Shupe, D.; Appleton, P.; Armus, L.; Billot, N.; Chan, B. H. P.; Evans, A. S.; Fadda, D.; Frayer, D. T.; Haan, S.; Ishida, C. M.; Iwasawa, K.; Kim, D.-C.; Lord, S.; Murphy, E.; Petric, A.; Privon, G. C.; Surace, J. A.; Treister, E.

2017-04-01

Far-infrared images and photometry are presented for 201 Luminous and Ultraluminous Infrared Galaxies [LIRGs: log ({L}{IR}/{L}⊙ )=11.00{--}11.99, ULIRGs: log ({L}{IR}/{L}⊙ )=12.00{--}12.99], in the Great Observatories All-Sky LIRG Survey (GOALS), based on observations with the Herschel Space Observatory Photodetector Array Camera and Spectrometer (PACS) and the Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver (SPIRE) instruments. The image atlas displays each GOALS target in the three PACS bands (70, 100, and 160 μm) and the three SPIRE bands (250, 350, and 500 μm), optimized to reveal structures at both high and low surface brightness levels, with images scaled to simplify comparison of structures in the same physical areas of ˜100 × 100 kpc2. Flux densities of companion galaxies in merging systems are provided where possible, depending on their angular separation and the spatial resolution in each passband, along with integrated system fluxes (sum of components). This data set constitutes the imaging and photometric component of the GOALS Herschel OT1 observing program, and is complementary to atlases presented for the Hubble Space Telescope, Spitzer Space Telescope, and Chandra X-ray Observatory. Collectively, these data will enable a wide range of detailed studies of active galactic nucleus and starburst activity within the most luminous infrared galaxies in the local universe. Based on Herschel Space Observatory observations. Herschel is an ESA space observatory with science instruments provided by the European-led Principal Investigator consortia, and important participation from NASA.

The European Virtual Observatory EURO-VO | Euro-VO

Science.gov Websites

: VOTECH EuroVO-DCA EuroVO-AIDA EuroVO-ICE The European Virtual Observatory EURO-VO The Virtual Observatory news Workshop on Virtual Observatory Tools and their Applications, Krakow, Poland June 16-18, organized present the Astronomical Virtual Observatory at the Copernicus (European Earth Observation Programme) Big

Mechanical Overview of the International X-Ray Observatory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Robinson, David W.; McClelland, Ryan S.

2009-01-01

The International X-ray Observatory (IXO) is a new collaboration between NASA, ESA, and JAXA which is under study for launch in 2020. IXO will be a large 6600 kilogram Great Observatory-class mission which will build upon the legacies of the Chandra and XMM-Newton X-ray observatories. It combines elements from NASA's Constellation-X program and ESA's XEUS program. The observatory will have a 20-25 meter focal length, which necessitates the use of a deployable instrument module. Currently the project is actively trading configurations and layouts of the various instruments and spacecraft components. This paper will provide a snapshot of the latest observatory configuration under consideration and summarize the observatory from the mechanical engineering perspective.

View of the Columbia's RMS arm and end effector grasping IECM

NASA Image and Video Library

1982-06-27

STS004-37-670 (27 June-4 July 1982) --- The North Atlantic Ocean southeast of the Bahamas serves as backdrop for this 70mm scene of the Columbia?s remote manipulator system (RMS) arm and hand-like device (called and end effector) grasping a multi-instrument monitor for detecting contaminants. The experiments is called the induced environment contaminant monitor (IECM). The small box contains 11 instruments for checking the contaminants in and around the orbiter?s cargo bay which might adversely affect delicate experiments carried onboard. Astronauts Thomas K. Mattingly II and Henry W. Hartsfield Jr. manned the Columbia for seven days and one hour. The Columbia?s vertical tail and orbital maneuvering system (OMS) pods are at left foreground. Photo credit: NASA

True 3-D View of 'Columbia Hills' from an Angle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

This mosaic of images from NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit shows a panorama of the 'Columbia Hills' without any adjustment for rover tilt. When viewed through 3-D glasses, depth is much more dramatic and easier to see, compared with a tilt-adjusted version. This is because stereo views are created by producing two images, one corresponding to the view from the panoramic camera's left-eye camera, the other corresponding to the view from the panoramic camera's right-eye camera. The brain processes the visual input more accurately when the two images do not have any vertical offset. In this view, the vertical alignment is nearly perfect, but the horizon appears to curve because of the rover's tilt (because the rover was parked on a steep slope, it was tilted approximately 22 degrees to the west-northwest). Spirit took the images for this 360-degree panorama while en route to higher ground in the 'Columbia Hills.'

The highest point visible in the hills is 'Husband Hill,' named for space shuttle Columbia Commander Rick Husband. To the right are the rover's tracks through the soil, where it stopped to perform maintenance on its right front wheel in July. In the distance, below the hills, is the floor of Gusev Crater, where Spirit landed Jan. 3, 2004, before traveling more than 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) to reach this point. This vista comprises 188 images taken by Spirit's panoramic camera from its 213th day, or sol, on Mars to its 223rd sol (Aug. 9 to 19, 2004). Team members at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Cornell University spent several weeks processing images and producing geometric maps to stitch all the images together in this mosaic. The 360-degree view is presented in a cylindrical-perspective map projection with geometric seam correction.

Columbia basin project, Washington: Adams, Douglas, Franklin, Grant, Lincoln, and Walla Walla Counties

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1993-01-01

The Columbia Basin Project is a multipurpose development utilizing a portion of the resources of the Columbia River in the central part of the State of Washington. The key structure, Grand Coulee Dam, is on the main stem of the Columbia River about 90 miles west of Spokane, Wash. The extensive irrigation works extend southward on the Columbia Plateau 125 miles to the vicinity of Pasco, Wash., where the Snake and Columbia Rivers join.

Image Processing for Educators in Global Hands-On Universe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, J. P.; Pennypacker, C. R.; White, G. L.

2006-08-01

A method of image processing to find time-varying objects is being developed for the National Virtual Observatory as part of Global Hands-On Universe(tm) (Lawrence Hall of Science; University of California, Berkeley). Objects that vary in space or time are of prime importance in modern astronomy and astrophysics. Such objects include active galactic nuclei, variable stars, supernovae, or moving objects across a field of view such as an asteroid, comet, or extrasolar planet transiting its parent star. The search for these objects is undertaken by acquiring an image of the region of the sky where they occur followed by a second image taken at a later time. Ideally, both images are taken with the same telescope using the same filter and charge-coupled device. The two images are aligned and subtracted with the subtracted image revealing any changes in light during the time period between the two images. We have used a method of Christophe Alard using the image processing software IDL Version 6.2 (Research Systems, Inc.) with the exception of the background correction, which is done on the two images prior to the subtraction. Testing has been extensive, using images provided by a number of National Virtual Observatory and collaborating projects. They include the Supernovae Trace Cosmic Expansion (Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory), Supernovae/ Acceleration Program (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory), Lowell Observatory Near-Earth Object Search (Lowell Observatory), and the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (Paris, France). Further testing has been done with students, including a May 2006 two week program at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Students from Hardin-Simmons University (Abilene, TX) and Jackson State University (Jackson, MS) used the subtraction method to analyze images from the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO) searching for new asteroids and Kuiper Belt objects. In October 2006 students from five U.S. high schools

Astro-1 Image Taken by Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

This image shows a part of the Cygnus loop supernova remnant, taken by the Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UIT) on the Astro Observatory during the Astro-1 mission (STS-35) on December 5, 1990. Pictured is a portion of the huge Cygnus loop, an array of interstellar gas clouds that have been blasted by a 900,000 mile per hour shock wave from a prehistoric stellar explosion, which occurred about 20,000 years ago, known as supernova. With ultraviolet and x-rays, astronomers can see emissions from extremely hot gases, intense magnetic fields, and other high-energy phenomena that more faintly appear in visible and infrared light or in radio waves that are crucial to deepening the understanding of the universe. The Astro Observatory was designed to explore the universe by observing and measuring the ultraviolet radiation from celestial objects. Three instruments make up the Astro Observatory: The Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope (HUT), the Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UIT), and the Wisconsin Ultraviolet Photo-Polarimetry Experiment (WUPPE). The Marshall Space Flight Center had managment responsibilities for the Astro-1 mission. The Astro-1 Observatory was launched aboard the Space Shuttle Orbiter Columbia (STS-35) on December 2, 1990.

Spacelab

NASA Image and Video Library

1990-12-05

This image shows a part of the Cygnus loop supernova remnant, taken by the Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UIT) on the Astro Observatory during the Astro-1 mission (STS-35) on December 5, 1990. Pictured is a portion of the huge Cygnus loop, an array of interstellar gas clouds that have been blasted by a 900,000 mile per hour shock wave from a prehistoric stellar explosion, which occurred about 20,000 years ago, known as supernova. With ultraviolet and x-rays, astronomers can see emissions from extremely hot gases, intense magnetic fields, and other high-energy phenomena that more faintly appear in visible and infrared light or in radio waves that are crucial to deepening the understanding of the universe. The Astro Observatory was designed to explore the universe by observing and measuring the ultraviolet radiation from celestial objects. Three instruments make up the Astro Observatory: The Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope (HUT), the Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UIT), and the Wisconsin Ultraviolet Photo-Polarimetry Experiment (WUPPE). The Marshall Space Flight Center had managment responsibilities for the Astro-1 mission. The Astro-1 Observatory was launched aboard the Space Shuttle Orbiter Columbia (STS-35) on December 2, 1990.

Columbia Crew Survival Investigation Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2009-01-01

NASA commissioned the Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB) to conduct a thorough review of both the technical and the organizational causes of the loss of the Space Shuttle Columbia and her crew on February 1, 2003. The accident investigation that followed determined that a large piece of insulating foam from Columbia s external tank (ET) had come off during ascent and struck the leading edge of the left wing, causing critical damage. The damage was undetected during the mission. The CAIB's findings and recommendations were published in 2003 and are available on the web at http://caib.nasa.gov/. NASA responded to the CAIB findings and recommendations with the Space Shuttle Return to Flight Implementation Plan. Significant enhancements were made to NASA's organizational structure, technical rigor, and understanding of the flight environment. The ET was redesigned to reduce foam shedding and eliminate critical debris. In 2005, NASA succeeded in returning the space shuttle to flight. In 2010, the space shuttle will complete its mission of assembling the International Space Station and will be retired to make way for the next generation of human space flight vehicles: the Constellation Program. The Space Shuttle Program recognized the importance of capturing the lessons learned from the loss of Columbia and her crew to benefit future human exploration, particularly future vehicle design. The program commissioned the Spacecraft Crew Survival Integrated Investigation Team (SCSIIT). The SCSIIT was asked to perform a comprehensive analysis of the accident, focusing on factors and events affecting crew survival, and to develop recommendations for improving crew survival for all future human space flight vehicles. To do this, the SCSIIT investigated all elements of crew survival, including the design features, equipment, training, and procedures intended to protect the crew. This report documents the SCSIIT findings, conclusions, and recommendations.

Kitt Peak National Observatory | ast.noao.edu

Science.gov Websites

National Observatory (KPNO), part of the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO), supports the most diverse collection of astronomical observatories on Earth for nighttime optical and infrared astronomy and NOAO is the national center for ground-based nighttime astronomy in the United States and is operated

ESO's Two Observatories Merge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2005-02-01

On February 1, 2005, the European Southern Observatory (ESO) has merged its two observatories, La Silla and Paranal, into one. This move will help Europe's prime organisation for astronomy to better manage its many and diverse projects by deploying available resources more efficiently where and when they are needed. The merged observatory will be known as the La Silla Paranal Observatory. Catherine Cesarsky, ESO's Director General, comments the new development: "The merging, which was planned during the past year with the deep involvement of all the staff, has created unified maintenance and engineering (including software, mechanics, electronics and optics) departments across the two sites, further increasing the already very high efficiency of our telescopes. It is my great pleasure to commend the excellent work of Jorge Melnick, former director of the La Silla Observatory, and of Roberto Gilmozzi, the director of Paranal." ESO's headquarters are located in Garching, in the vicinity of Munich (Bavaria, Germany), and this intergovernmental organisation has established itself as a world-leader in astronomy. Created in 1962, ESO is now supported by eleven member states (Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom). It operates major telescopes on two remote sites, all located in Chile: La Silla, about 600 km north of Santiago and at an altitude of 2400m; Paranal, a 2600m high mountain in the Atacama Desert 120 km south of the coastal city of Antofagasta. Most recently, ESO has started the construction of an observatory at Chajnantor, a 5000m high site, also in the Atacama Desert. La Silla, north of the town of La Serena, has been the bastion of the organization's facilities since 1964. It is the site of two of the most productive 4-m class telescopes in the world, the New Technology Telescope (NTT) - the first major telescope equipped with active optics - and the 3.6-m, which hosts HARPS

The World Space Observatory Ultraviolet (WSO-UV), as a bridge to future UV astronomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shustov, B.; Gómez de Castro, A. I.; Sachkov, M.; Vallejo, J. C.; Marcos-Arenal, P.; Kanev, E.; Savanov, I.; Shugarov, A.; Sichevskii, S.

2018-04-01

Ultraviolet (UV) astronomy is a vital branch of space astronomy. Many dozens of short-term UV-experiments in space, as well as long-term observatories, have brought a very important knowledge on the physics and chemistry of the Universe during the last decades. Unfortunately, no large UV-observatories are planned to be launched by most of space agencies in the coming 10-15 years. Conversely, the large UVOIR observatories of the future will appear not earlier than in 2030s. This paper briefly describes the projects that have been proposed by various groups. We conclude that the World Space Observatory-Ultraviolet (WSO-UV) will be the only 2-m class UV telescope with capabilities similar to those of the HST for the next decade. The WSO-UV has been described in detail in previous publications, and this paper updates the main characteristics of its instruments and the current state of the whole project. It also addresses the major science topics that have been included in the core program of the WSO-UV, making this core program very relevant to the current state of the UV-astronomy. Finally, we also present here the ground segment architecture that will implement this program.

Column Experiments to Interpret Weathering in Columbia Hills

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hausrath, E. M.; Morris, R.V.; Ming, D.W.; Golden, D.C.; Galindo, C.; Sutter, B.

2009-01-01

Phosphate mobility has been postulated as an indicator of early aqueous activity on Mars. In addition, rock surfaces analyzed by the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit are consistent with the loss of a phosphate- containing mineral To interpret phosphate alteration behavior on Mars, we performed column dissolution experiments leaching the primary phases Durango fluorapatite, San Carlos olivine, and basalt glass (Stapafjell Volcano, courtesy of S. Gislason, University of Iceland) [3,4]) with acidic solutions. These phases were chosen to represent quickly dissolving phases likely present in Columbia Hills. Column dissolution experiments are closer to natural dissolution conditions than batch experiments, although they can be difficult to interpret. Acidic solutions were used because the leached layers on the surfaces of these rocks have been interpreted as resulting from acid solutions [5].

Worldwide R&D of Virtual Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cui, C. Z.; Zhao, Y. H.

2008-07-01

Virtual Observatory (VO) is a data intensive online astronomical research and education environment, taking advantages of advanced information technologies to achieve seamless and uniform access to astronomical information. The concept of VO was introduced in the late 1990s to meet the challenges brought up with data avalanche in astronomy. In the paper, current status of International Virtual Observatory Alliance, technical highlights from world wide VO projects are reviewed, a brief introduction of Chinese Virtual Observatory is given.

Cyberinfrastructure for the NSF Ocean Observatories Initiative

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orcutt, J. A.; Vernon, F. L.; Arrott, M.; Chave, A.; Schofield, O.; Peach, C.; Krueger, I.; Meisinger, M.

2008-12-01