Techniques in X-ray astronomy

X-ray astronomy has benefited enormously with the deployment of imaging X-ray telescopes in space, leading to a veritable revolution. Such telescopes require distortion free focusing of X-rays and the use of position sensitive X-ray detectors. In this article I shall describe the importance of X-ray imaging, the optical principles behind the creation of images and the instruments based on these principles. The various techniques used to fabricate such X-ray telescopes are described briefly. The many types of detectors used in X-ray astronomy will be described in the second part of this article in a subsequent issue ofResonance. Kulinder Pal Singh is in the Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai. His primary fields of research are X-ray studies of hot plasmas in stars, supernova remnants, galaxies, intergalactic medium in clusters of galaxies, active galactic nuclei, cataclysmic variables and X-ray binaries. He is leading the development of a soft X-ray imaging telescope for the ASTROSAT mission to be launched by India in 2007–2008.     

Hubble’s menagerie of galaxies

Soon after the discovery that we live in a separate galaxy and that there are many other galaxies in the universe, Hubble designed a classification scheme of galaxies based on their appearances. It was such a robust scheme that it continues to be one of the basic tools of modern astronomy, and motivates astronomers to look for connections between different types of galaxies.     

A general history of the research on Chinese academies (1923–2007)

Research on traditional Chinese academies has aroused interest ever since its existence. At least 2 302 papers and over 162 books concerning traditional academic institutions have been published for over 85 years from 1923 to 2007. Consisting of the following four phases as initial development (1923–1949), continual progress (1950–1979), vigorous prosperity (1980–1993) and new tendency in the new century (2000–2007), this paper discusses the characteristics, central issues and research trends of each phase and introduces the main achievements, which are worthy to be noted and discussed. __________ Translated from Hunan Daxue Xuebao (Shehui Kexue Ban) 湖南大学学报 (社会科学版), Journal of Hunan University (Social Sciences), 2007, 21(3): 31–40     

中国近代私立大学创建考辨

Recently there have been many viewpoints as to which private university was founded firstly in modern China. The schools, such as Fudan University (or the former Aurora Academy), Nankai University, China College, Wuchang Zhonghua University, Nanyang College and Zhengmeng Academy are all considered to be the first private university. From two keywords: “private” and “university” and based on many historical materials, this paper draws the conclusion that Nanyang College is the first private university founded by the Chinese people in modern China. __________ Translated from Xiandai Daxue Jiaoyu 现代大学教育(Modern University Education), 2007, (4): 10–15     

Teaching in the shadow: operators of small shadow education institutions in Japan

The shadow education sector plays a centrally important role in the Japanese education system. Advocates of Japanese shadow education institutions, or juku, claim that the pedagogy employed in these schools leads to superior results compared to teaching methods used in conventional schools. The lack of value-added testing of juku results suggests that these claims have not been tested. In this article, I examine the background of the owner– operators of small juku and the challenges they face in hiring teaching staff. The small juku examined were mostly founded during the juku-boom of the early 1970s and continue to teach 100–200 students with a staff usually numbering more than 10 part-time or full-time teachers. I find that almost no operators or employees come to the shadow education business by design. Instead, owner–operators “slide into” their role for lack of alternative options, or through early success, or through frustration with previous careers. Subsequently, many of the owner–operators embrace their work as a pedagogical calling. In hiring teaching staff, owner–operators circumvent the larger employment market by hiring their own “graduates”.     

Infrared Absorption Spectra of Serpentine Cat＇s Eye from Sichuan Province of China

Infrared （IR） absorption spectra and X-ray powder diffraction （XRD） patterrns of sexpenfine cat＇s eye from Sichuan Province have been investigated, and infrared absorption bands of the serpentine have been assigned in this paper. The results indicate that the bands near 3 600 - 3 700 cm^-1 belong to the stretching absorption band VOH, the bands in 948 - 1 100 cm^-1 axe assigned to the stretching vibraling band Usvo, and the bands at 600 570 and 440 cm^-1 respectively belong to the bending vibration band VOH, δMg-O and δSi-O. The serpentine cat＇ s eye includes two types： chrysotile and antigorite. Chrysotile has a sharp and intensive band at 3 688 cm^-1 and a weak band at 3 643 cm^-1 , while antigorite has only one intensive band in the region. At vibration band VSi-O, chrysotile and antigorite have a similar feature at 1 071 cm^-1, but the band at 980 cm^-1 in anfigorite has been split into two bands in chrysotile - a strong one at 1 027 cm^-1 and a weak one at 949 cm^-1. In addition, antigorite has a characteristic bending vibrating band δMg-O at 570 cm^-1. Based on the analysis of the feature of crystal structure, their IR differences axe well explained.     

Radio Astronomy: A Strong Link Between Undergraduate Education and Research

The program at the MIT Haystack Observatory has added a new opportunity for students as part of our overall national effort to encourage research by undergraduates. Radio astronomy complements other branches of astronomy, augments science education broadly, and serves to promote interdisciplinary research and education. In the past 2 years, we have conducted a successful pilot program to develop and test a program that facilitates the linking of undergraduate research and education through radio astronomy. As a result of this effort, a small radio telescope has been developed and can be used as a hands-on introduction to radio astronomical techniques and instrument calibration. The telescope is presently being commercialized so that it can be purchased as a low-cost kit for assembly. Remote access to the Haystack 37-m antenna has made it possible for students nationwide to access a research grade facility and we invite faculty everywhere who are interested in this possibility to use our facility. Undergraduate students can participate in the exciting world of research by performing experiments with the telescope. Radio astronomy materials for faculty, students, and interested amateurs have been developed are posted on our web site (http://www.haystack.mit.edu). The materials will continue to be upgraded and enhanced, and the contributions from participating teachers and students nationwide will be added to the project files. We hope to make this not only a resource for someone using our facility but also for the community in general.We are now bringing the Haystack telescopes and radio astronomy to the broad undergraduate community. Based on our pilot experiences, we envision students everywhere being able to exploit the opportunity to strengthen their education through practical research using radio astronomy.     

Dynamics of the Sun-Earth-Moon system

The dynamics of the Sun-Earth-Moon system is discussed with special attention to the effects of Sun’s perturbations on the Moon’s orbit around the Earth. Important secular effects are the regression of the nodes, the advance of the perigee and the increase in the Moon’s mean longitude. We discuss the relationship of the first with the occurrence of eclipses, the second with the fluctuations in the moon’s synodic period, and the third with the slowing down of the Earth’s rotation due to tidal friction. The Sun-Earth-Moon system is compared with other triple celestial systems with regard to the intensity of tidal effects. S M Alladin is a retired professor of Astronomy, Osmania University, Hyderabad. He specialized in dynamical astronomy and did research on the dynamics of colliding and merging galaxies. He is interested in the interaction between religion and science. G M Ballabh is a retired professor of Astronomy, Osmania University, Hyderabad. His field of research includes dynamical astronomy and positional astronomy. At present he is the Chairman of the Standing Advisory Committee for the Positional Astronomy Centre, Kolkata     

中国少数民族新创文字在文化变迁中的功能与意义阐释——以哈尼、傈僳和纳西族为例

New writing systems for several of China’s minority languages were developed and implemented during a unique period in Chinese history. Throughout the different stages of modern Chinese history, these writing systems have had various societal functions and uses, including the improvement of education and literacy for China’s ethnic minorities. In the new era, the societal functions of these newly created systems have been weakened by the large-scale influence from both outside and within minority environment. Nevertheless, the newly created writing systems have undeniable value and significance, and they continue to serve positive functions that cannot be fulfilled by other writing systems. __________ Translated by Daniel Weisman from Minzu Jiaoyu Yanjiu 民族教育研究 (Journal of Research on Education for Ethnic Minorities), 2007, 18(5): 5–11     

Portrait of Filipino teachers’ classroom practices: traditional or constructivist?

The intent of this qualitative study is to narrate (Brodkey, (1987a). Education Quarterly, 18, 67–76; Written communication, 4, 25–70; Qualitative communication research methods. (1987b). Lindlof, (1995). (pp. 172–174): London Sage Publications) the master teachers as aggregate sample subjects’ pedagogical understanding and classroom practices. A qualitative analysis of the classroom activities and journal entries of 13 teacher-participants in the Basic Education Curriculum core learning areas is included. Findings reveal that the subject participants’ pedagogical practices still verging toward the formal suggest a traditional inclination. However, the importance of change should be realized. Various concepts of teaching and learning, today, are imperative. Teachers must be resocialized on their new roles and make their students have a more active role in the teaching-learning process.     

分子天文学的研究方法与展望

介绍了分子天文学的学科性质、发展现状和研究方法,并通过对国内外新建望远镜的介绍展望了分子天文学的未来.     

Communicating the new chemistry in 18th-century Portugal: Seabra’s Elementos de Chimica

In this paper, we analyse the aims, contents and impact of Seabra’s two-volume textbook – Elementos de Chimica (Elements of Chemistry) – published in 1788 and 1790. Seabra’s Elements of Chemistry does not conform to the characteristics usually ascribed to textbooks by traditional historiography, and in particular to textbooks published in the peripheries. Marking the arrival of the new chemistry in Portugal, in a period in which many still resisted Lavoisier’s chemistry, this textbook was a state of the art account written in Portuguese, interspersed with critical evaluations, original comments and novel contributions. Despite being the only Portuguese chemistry textbook written during this period, it had hardly any readers, even among its natural audience at the University of Coimbra.     

Making Fair and Predictable Salary Adjustments for Faculty of Public Research Universities

Building upon earlier work by Camp, Gibbs, and Masters II, (1988). The Journal of Higher Education 59(6): 652–667 and Wenger and Girard, (2000). Research in Higher Education 41(2):195–207, we present a model for allocating funds for salary increases to faculty lines within an academic unit at a public research university. The model first divides available funds into three separate amounts, based on the unit norms adopted by the faculty of the academic unit. These norms define the relative effort levels to be placed on teaching, scholarship, and service. The model enables individual faculty members to negotiate different effort levels for the respective activities. Within each of these activities, specific weights can be assigned to different types of accomplishments. The result is a flexible approach that allows fair and predictable salary increases to be assigned on the basis of criteria that have been agreed to by the faculty of the academic unit.     

Measurement of conversion efficiency of soft X-ray from 0.35μm laser-irradiated aluminum planar targets

Conversion efficiency of soft X-ray from 0.35 μm pulse laser-irradiated aluminium planar target at laser intensities 10¹³–10¹⁵ W/cm² on the Xingguang-II facility (laser energy 5–90 J, focal spot ⊃ Ф 200 μm full width of half maximun (FWHM) 400–800 ps) was measured. A simple model was given to explain soft X-ray conversion efficiency. In this model, because of the heat conduction from the laser-heated spot, the conversion was very small at lower irradiance limit, while at higher limit it was bounded by the energy lost in blow off plasma. Consequently, at the laser intensity around 2×10¹⁴ W/cm², the X-ray conversion efficiency reaches a maximum. Project suppoted by Shanghai Leading Academic Discipline Foundation (Grant No. T0104), and Science Foundation of Shanghai Municipal Commission of Education (Grant No. 214680)     

Raman crystal lasers in the visible and near-infrared

Raman lasers based on potassium gadolinium tungstate and lead tungstate crystals pumped bya≈120 ps Nd: YAG laser at 1.064 μm were developed. High reflection mirrors for the Stokes wavelength have been used to generate near-infrared and eye safe spectral region of 1.15–1.32 μm. Second harmonic generation of the generated Raman lasers was observed. Eifficient multiple Stokes and anti-Stokes picosecond generation in 64 crystals have been shown to exhibit stimulated Raman scattering on about 700 lines covering the whole visible and near-infrared spectrum. All stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) wavelengths in the visible and near-infrared spectrum are identified and attributed to the SRS-active vibration modes of these crystals.     

An index method to evaluate growers' pesticide use for identifying on-farm innovations and effective alternative pest management strategies: a case study of winegrape in Madera County, California

Winegrape is an important perennial crop in California, USA. Each year California winegrape farming consumes about 20 million kilograms of pesticides that have been a pollutant source to the fresh water systems of the state. The variation of pesticide use among winegrape growers has been significant. It has been observed that some growers have developed effective ways to reduce pesticide use, yet control pests efficiently to ensure harvest. Identification of the growers with low and high pesticide use is very helpful to extension programs that aim on reducing pesticide environmental risk. In this study, an index approach is proposed to quantitatively measure pesticide use intensity at grower level. An integrated pesticide use index is developed by taking pesticide quantity and toxicity into account. An additive formula and a multiplying formula were used to calculate the pesticide use index, i.e., PUI and PUIM. It was found that both PUI and PUIM were capable of identifying the low and high pesticide users while PUI was slightly more conservative than PUIM. All pesticides used in California winegrape farming were taken into account for calculating the indices. Madera County, one of the largest winegrape producers in California, was taken as an example to test the proposed approach. In year 2000, among the total 208 winegrape growers, 28 with PUI≤10 and 34 with 10<PUI≤20 were identified as low pesticide users who were characterized with both low quantity and low toxicity of pesticide use. Most of the growers had small-sized vineyards, i.e., one field and small planted areas. Furthermore, they had very low pesticide use intensity, used only 1–2 types of pesticides (mainly fungicides), applied few pesticides (1–3 only), and emphasized the use of low toxicity compounds. Meanwhile, 19 growers with PUI>60, identified as high pesticide users, had large-sized vineyards, i.e., more fields and large planted areas. They used all types of pesticides and many compounds, which indicated that their pest controls heavily depended on pesticides rather than on-farm management. Through the case study, the proposed approach proved to be useful for analyzing the growers’ pesticide use intensities and interpreting their pesticide use behaviors, which led to a new start point for further investigation of searching ways to reduce pesticide environmental risk.     

Development of ethnic education and educational equality in China

A comparative analysis of the statistics of the two population censuses conducted in 1990 and 2000 showed that with the development of ethnic education, average years of school attainment have been increased for all ethnic nationalities, and education has been more equalized within different ethnic nationalities. However, educational inequality among different nationalities has been widened. Although the extent of the widening is limited, sufficient attention should be paid by policy-makers. __________ Translated from Minzu Jiaoyu Yanjiu 民族教育研究 (Journal of Research on Education for Ethnic Minorities), 2006, (5): 16–20     

Codes,Silences, and Homophobia: Challenging Normative Assumptions About Gender and Sexuality in Contemporary LGBTQ Young Adult Literature

Since the publication of the first young adult novel to deal with issues of sexual identity, John Donovan’s (1969) I’ll Get There, It Better Be Worth the Trip, over 200 novels have been published centered around gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning (LGBTQ) characters and conflicts (Cart and Jenkins, 2006, The Heart has Its Reasons: Young Adult Literature with Gay/Lesbian/Queer Content, 1969–2004. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press). In significant contrast to early texts, many authors in recent years have sought to promote inclusion of LGBTQ individuals and to present LGBTQ characters in a positive light. To do so, they frequently create antagonistic homophobic characters and situations that provide a sense of realism (Crisp, 2009, Children’s Literature in Education, 40, 333–348). In this paper, I present several representative examples from these novels that challenge homophobia, but ultimately leave it intact. Text excerpts are drawn from the numerous contemporary realistic LGBTQ-themed texts, published between the years 2000–2005, and marketed to young adults. I then contrast these texts with the novel Boy Meets Boy (Levithan, 2003). Through the novel’s blurred genres and inventive use of linguistic features, Boy Meets Boy is able to more effectively undermine heteronormative assumptions by presenting the unthinkable: children as sexual beings, hegemonic masculinity as in fact non-hegemonic and detrimental to success, and homosexuality as normalized and even ordinary.     

Studying creation of bulk elementary excitation by heaters in superfluid helium-II at low temperatures

In this paper, the obtained experimental results concerning creation of bulk elementary excitations (BEEs) in iso-topically pure liquid 4He at low temperatures ~60 mK are discussed. Positive rotons’ (R -rotons) creation by a pulsed heater was studied. Signals were recorded for the following quantum processes: quantum evaporation of 4He-atoms from the free liq- uid-helium surface by the BEEs of the liquid helium-II, and BEEs reflection from the free surface back into the bulk liquid. Typical signals are shown, and ratios of signal amplitudes are evaluated. For long heater pulses from 5 to 10 μs, appearance of the second atomic cloud consisting of evaporated 4He-atoms was observed in addition to the first atomic cloud. It is thought that the first atomic cloud of the evaporated helium atoms consists of very fast 4He-atoms with energies ~35 K evaporated by positive rotons with the special energies ~17 K (~2ER~2×8.6 K with ER representing the roton minimum energy) corresponding to the third non-dispersive Zakharenko wave. The second cloud of slower 4He-atoms was created by surface elementary excitations (SEEs or ripplons) possessing the special energies ~7.15 K representing the binding energy. It was assumed that such SEEs can be created by phonons incoming to the liquid surface with special energies ~6.2 K corresponding to the first non-dispersive Zakharenko wave, which can interact at the liquid surface with the same phonons already reflected from the surface for long heater pulses. Also, some pulsed-heater characteristics were studied in order to better understand the features of such heaters in low temperature experi- ments.     

Influences of Chinese educational journals—research based on 2000–2004 CSSCI

Based on the analyses on the quality of educational periodicals and the number of publications and citations in Chinese Social Sciences Citation Index (CSSCI), this paper intends to make an analysis and introduction of the general situation of Chinese educational journals and publications during 2000–2004. Results show that the quantity of educational periodicals and papers published in China, their influence, “impact factor” and the quantity of language varieties and quotation types are not completely compatible. __________ Translated from Jiaoyu Yanjiu 教育研究 (Educational Research), 2006, (9): 8–18