Understanding the Glow of Noctilucent Clouds

Each summer, people who live at high latitudes north and south of the equator are treated to a fantastically beautiful phenomenon called noctilucent clouds. These arent clouds in the normal way we understand them. The clouds were more familiar with are generally made of water droplets that have formed around particles of dust. Noctilucent clouds are generally made of ice crystals that formed around tiny dust particles in fairly cold temperatures. Unlike most clouds that float fairly close to the ground, they exist at heights up to 85 kilometers above the surface of our planet, high in the atmosphere that sustains life on Earth. They may look like thin cirrus that we can see throughout the day or night but are generally only visible when the Sun is no more than 16 degrees below the horizon. Clouds of the Night The term noctilucent means night-shining and it describes these clouds perfectly. They cant be seen during the day due to the brightness of the Sun. However, once the Sun sets, it illuminates these high-flying clouds from below. This explains why they can be seen in deep twilight. They typically have a bluish-white color and look very wispy. The History of Noctilucent Cloud Research Noctilucent clouds were first reported in 1885 and are sometimes linked with the eruption of the famous volcano, Krakatoa in 1883. However, its not clear that the eruption caused them — theres no scientific evidence to prove it one way or another. Their appearance may simply be coincidental. The idea that volcanic eruptions cause these clouds was heavily researched and eventually disproved in the 1920s. Since then, atmospheric scientists have studied noctilucent clouds using balloons, sounding rockets, and satellites. They seem to occur pretty frequently and are quite beautiful to observe. How Do Noctilucent Clouds Form? The ice particles that make up these shimmering clouds are quite small, only about 100 nm across. That many times smaller than the width of a human hair. They form when tiny particles of dust—possibly from bits of micro-meteors in the upper atmosphere—are coated with water vapor and frozen high in the atmosphere, in a region called the mesosphere. During local summer, that region of the atmosphere can be quite cold, and the crystals form at about -100 ° C. Noctilucent cloud formation seems to vary as the solar cycle does. In particular, as the Sun emits more ultraviolet radiation, it interacts with water molecules in the upper atmosphere and breaks them apart. That leaves less water to form the clouds during times of increased activity. Solar physicists and atmospheric scientists are tracking solar activity and noctilucent cloud formation to better understand the connection between the two phenomena. In particular, they are interested in learning why changes in these peculiar clouds dont show up until about a year after UV levels change. Interestingly, when NASAs space shuttles were flying, their exhaust plumes (which were nearly all water vapor) froze high in the atmosphere and created very short-lived mini noctilucent clouds. The same thing has happened with other launch vehicles since the shuttle era. However, launches are few and far between. The phenomenon of noctilucent clouds predates launches and aircraft. However, the short-lived noctilucent clouds from launch activities provide more data points about the atmospheric conditions that help them form. Noctilucent Clouds and Climate Change There may be a connection between the frequent formation of noctilucent clouds and climate change. NASA and other space agencies have been studying Earth for many decades and observing  the effects of global warming. However, the evidence is still being gathered, and the link between the clouds and warming remains a relatively controversial suggestion. Scientists are following up on all the evidence to see if there is a definite link. One possible theory is that methane (a greenhouse gas implicated in climate change) migrates to the area of the atmosphere where these clouds form. Greenhouse gases are thought to force temperature changes in the mesosphere, causing it to cool down. That cooling would contribute to the formation of ice crystals that make up the noctilucent clouds. An increase in water vapor (also due to human activities that produce greenhouse gases) would be part of the noctilucent cloud connection to climate change. Much work needs to be done to prove these connecti ons. Regardless of how these clouds form, they remain a favorite of sky watchers, particularly sunset-gazers and amateur observers. Just as some people chase eclipses or remain out late at night to see meteor showers, there are many who live in the high northern and southern latitudes and actively seek out the sight of noctilucent clouds. Theres no doubt of their magnificent beauty, but they are also an indicator of activities in our planets atmosphere.

Business Case Study Electronic Commerce - 941 Words

Electronic Commerce is the process of exchanging products and services or information with the help of computer networks, which includes the Internet (Turban, King, McKay, Marshall, Viehland, 2008). We can classify e-commerce by their relationship among different participants in the following types (Turban, King, McKay, Marshall, Viehland, 2008). Business-to-Business (B2B): All the participants in this model are business organizations. For example, Dell applications include B2B with their suppliers (Turban, King, McKay, Marshall, Viehland, 2008). Business-to-Consumer (B2C): This is an e-commerce model where the business organizations sell products and services to individual shoppers. For example, Amazon.com. E tailing is the other†¦show more content†¦In 1969, Internet began life in the US and mainly used by government and its departments, researchers and scientists. In 1990s, the World Wide Web came into existence and that is when e-commerce was coined. From then until today, e-commerce has seen both success as well as failures (Turban, King, McKay, Marshall, Viehland, 2008). The failure was mainly because the e-commerce field was going through consolidations and organizations were trying different models and structures (Turban, King, McKay, Marshall, Viehland, 2008). The other reason was giants like Amazon were working on expanding their operations and generating increased sales. However, the future looks bright for e-commerce and the usefulness is starting to materialize. As e-commerce expands, these benefits wi ll increase significantly. E-Commerce offers benefits to business organizations, individuals and the society (Turban, King, McKay, Marshall, Viehland, 2008). Benefits to Organization EC helps in locating customers and suppliers around the globe at a reasonable cost. Processing information, storage and distribution at lower costs. It helps to reduce delays, cost and inventories when coming to supply chain improvements (Turban, King, McKay, Marshall, Viehland, 2008). Transactions are 24/7/365. Talking about customization, it is according to the customers wish, quick and at reasonable cost. SellersShow MoreRelatedE-commerce: Its Development and Future Prospective Essay659 Words   |  3 PagesIntroduction Technological advancements have taken the world by storm. The daily chronicles have a different story to tell with every dawn of a new day about a technological invention and/or innovation. Doing business has become competitive more than ever. This phenomenon has created a business environment that follows the clichà ©, the survival of the fittest. It is in this spirit that businesses have adopted technology to survive and remain relevant in the dynamic consumer environment. 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However, the businesses that demonstrated determination and a willingness to overcome the challenges that they were faced with, have ultimately succeeded in expanding their clientele. One example of the type of company that can be found online is an electronic retailer, or a cybermall type of a site. Electronic retailing, also known as e-tailing,Read MoreNew Trends In E-Business: E-Government And M-Commerce Essay1382 Words   |  6 Pagesconstantly due to new technological advances in electronic commerce and mobile commerce. E-commerce has given consumers cheaper products and services, instant delivery, no sales tax and information availability. The changes in the Internet and World Wide Web technologies and services lead to new dev elopments in the way E-government efforts provide services to citizens and businesses, and in the way government handles their internal operations. 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Industrial revolution in diffe Essay Example For Students

Industrial revolution in diffe Essay This time period is quite an exciting period to be studying the Industrial Revolution, because of the fact that there is another revolution going on in the workplace. Every time technology changes, everything around it changes, and it is an exponential process. Technology increases, and then, using the new technology, it increases even more. 20 years ago, people used filing cabinets, and a pencil and paper, but recently, with the invention of computers, all that has been turned into hard disks, and emails, and gigabytes. Before the Industrial Revolution, people were farmers, and life was pretty slow, but with inventions like the cotton gin, and the assembly line, mass production evolved. Mass production is when companies can pump out the same product at a very efficient and inexpensive rate. The assembly line was one of these methods. An item would be sent down a treadmill, and at each point, there would be someone to work on one aspect of it. One person would punch a hole, and the n ext person would put in a screw, and so on, down the line, until the item was complete. This began something called division of labor. This was when people would repeat the same task over and over again, such as in an assembly line. This was very repetitive, and quite boring. England was a country that was the ideal for the Industrial Revolution it was on the water, so it was perfect for trade. It had lots of natural resources, and also a large population. The population both led to more ideas, and more workers. The country was also a wealthy one, with a good economy, and therefore there were ample investors for companies to begin. The revolution eventually spread to Western Europe, and even to the Americas. There is no doubt that inventions and technology was the key to the Industrial Revolution. It changed the way things are made, it changed the price, and it changed the working conditions. It was indeed, revolutionary. The Industrial Revolution in Britain changed the society profoundly; it caused a complete change in working conditions and the relationship between the working and middle classes. The working conditions became very harsh during the industrial revolution. Assembly lines led to mass production, which led to the division of labor. The division of labor was a method of working which involved doing the same task over and over. It was totally mindless, and it led to bitterness towards the middle class from the working class. The managers of the factories, whom were members of the working class, became more concerned with profit vs. expenses after learning about mass production, and started to cut wages to make a quick buck. This also led to bitterness on the part of the working class. The emergence of the strong middle class was part of the marked changed that occurred during the Industrial Revolution in Britain. These working conditions are still applicable to the factory workers of today ; this shows how revolutionary they were. This was the first time in history the working and middle classes disputed over conditions, and wages. This relationship is still very common, and very important. If the workers dont complain, then they will not work as hard because of their feeling of resentment towards their bosses. And vice-versa, if the bosses dont try to lower wages, then they will have to make up for it with higher prices, and then the consumer suffers. The protest towards bosses led to the formation of unions, which are still a very important part of the economy. The Industrial Revolution affected the whole stability of a nation, not only the economy. It affected the relationships between classes, and also the relationships between countries. The most important part is how all of these concepts are very much applicable to todays economy, which is why the Industrial Revolution was such an important period of time in the history of the world.

Islamic Management free essay sample

The conventional definition of management is getting work done through people, but real management is developing people through work. † Characteristic of conventional management : Examinees each resource sector and environment component in isolation Examines each resource sector and/or environmental component in isolation (e. g. , water, air, forests, fish) Focuses on biotic components; limited, if any, consideration of ecological processes (e. g. , hydrological process) Targets only specific resources of interest; typically those of commercial value Conflicting management policies However, in March 1994, the Commission has provided a provision by which trust funds can invest (10% of portfolio) in overseas stock. Hence, conventional unit trust funds can invest in any of the above Malaysian assets without any restriction as long as the funds have not reached its maximum approved size. The Islamic unit trusts mainly focus on the investments in portfolios of ‘halal’ stocks and bonds complying with the Syariah principles. Such ‘halal’ stocks exclude companies involving in activities, products or services related to conventional banking, insurance and financial services, gambling, alcoholic beverages and non-halal food products and also companies whose products can cause illness, death, disease or even promote social ills such as tobacco. We will write a custom essay sample on Islamic Management or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page From an Islamic perspective, the above industries are avoided as they represent elements that are forbidden by Allah and the harmful effects of such products on mankind (Smart Investor, 2002). The returns of Islamic unit trusts also avoid the incidence of ‘riba’ or usury interest through the process of cleaning or purification by the removal of such amounts representing the interest element. In instances where a fund has inadvertently made profits investing in non-permissible sectors, the fund will liquidate the investments. The proceeds of the gain will then be donated to charities. Mohd Nasir (2000) mentioned in his paper that the Syariah principle of ‘musharakah’ acts as a base for Islamic unit trust whereby it is a participatory financing involving agreement between the contributor of capital and the user. Therefore, the providers of funds or partners are the unitholders in an Islamic unit trust. A formal contract between the unitholders, capital or fund, profit, the offer, the acceptance and the investment activities are also available within the practice of the Islamic unit trust. The concept of ‘al-wadiah yad dhamanah’ or guaranteed safe custody is involved in the operation of the Islamic unit trust fund. Prior to the funds existence, the owners of assets are the investors, custodian holder is the fund manager, and asset is the money invested. After the creation of the fund, the owners of assets are the unit holders, the custodian is the trustee and the assets include all assets of the fund. Besides that, the concept of ‘al-bai’bithamin ajil’ is also practiced in the Islamic unit trust whereby there is a transaction of buying and redemption of units of funds. In this case, the purchase or redemption price is the managers forward selling or buying price at the next valuation point when investors decide to buy or unitholders decide to redeem their shares. Moreover, the valuation point is the price at the close of business for the day.

Barco Case Essay Example

Barco Case Essay Barco Case Analysis Analysis of the current product portfolio of Barco(Appendix A). High Market ShareLow Market Share High Market Growth rateNAGraphics Projectors (Barco had 4% units in 1988 and had predicted a growth of 41%) Key Competitor – Electrohome Low Market Growth rateData Projectors (Barco had 33% units in 1988 and had predicted a growth of 12%) Video Projectors (Barco had 63% units in 1988 and had predicted a growth of 1%) Key Competitor Sony Looking at the data we understand that to maintain Barco current position as a technological leader and to thwart Sony’s launch of Sony 1270 Barco must immediately stop the development of BD700 and focus entirely on developing BG800. A Multi-dimension scaling or a Conjoint analysis of the end users on the parameters of price, scan frequency, light output, picture quality and resolution with help us improve the analysis further. Sony 1270 combines the best of both data and graphic projectors – with a scanning frequency of 75kHtz and 8† Sony tube that gave brighter and higher image quality with improved resolution. We will write a custom essay sample on Barco Case specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Barco Case specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Barco Case specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Also it was speculated to be priced at the range of data projectors. Barco cannot compete with Sony by lowering its prices and through high volumes and hence it must maintain its niche segment. Even though BG800 is a risky option (40% chance of completion) and requires high number of man-hours (more than 80) but with adequate planning and focus on RD Barco BG800 launch can help regain Barco’s mark of product and technological innovation. Strengths Opportunities How Barco maintained and kept its competitive advantage)Weakness Threat (How Sony 1270 threatened Barco’s existence)How launch of BG800 would help while development of BD700 and BG700 would not Technology Leader for the high end user. Barco’s products were reputed for having highest quality final image and excellent reliability. The product of Barco was often not judged as user friendly. Frans had decided to evolve the products to further enhance image quality, flexibility o inputs and user-friendlinessT o maintain its mark in the market through its position on technological excellence, Barco must focus on BG800. It was designed with a frequency well above 1270’s – atleast 90kHtz. Also being a digital upgrade it would be user-friendly. Dealers tended to sell more of Barco projectors because they received a high price and a higher percentage of that price. Also Barco gave the dealers price protection. Low spread distribution network. Sony had 500 dealers in the US market vs 100 dealers of Barco. However Sony’s products were positioned below Barco in performance and were average on prices. Barco cannot get into price wars or mass production with Sony and in the end Barco may even lose out on the Graphics machines positioning. BG800 product will help Barco focus on the niche market segment of high end users which can be reached out to with the dealers that Barco has and reap the profits

Now

Now I am a heroin addict. I am alone as I usually am these days. It's early in the morning and I am sick. I'm nauseous and sweating, my hands are shaking, and I have no energy. Though I don't want to move, I can't get comfortable and I have to get going. I need to score, need the drug to keep the sickness away, the sickness that's only going to get worse as time passes. I have to get out of the house before my landlord comes, as she does everyday now to ask for the rent money, money I don't have. I haven't paid rent for two months now, and I know I'm going to be evicted soon. She's behind on her payments to the bank because I haven't paid. I don't like to avoid her as I feel guilty and bad for her, but I fear the dope sickness more.Among more than 1,400 adult females, childhood sex...It drives everything I do. I can't pay any bills, and now the collection agencies are after me for bad credit card debts and unpaid utility bills. Their attempts to contact me go unanswered. The power in the house was turned off a long time ago. I have no heat or air conditioning, and no hot water. I take cold showers when I can stand to take them. The cold water makes my skin crawl. I sleep on the floor because I've pawned all my furniture, and the refrigerator just grows mold and dust.I look like hell. I wear long sleeve shirts to hide the needle marks on my arms and I haven't bought new clothes in years. I have no money for food. I eat where and when I can, but it's not enough, and I'm malnourished and underweight. I've been going to the soup kitchens...

Northern Gateway Pipeline Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Northern Gateway Pipeline - Essay Example A project of such a scale requires a sizable investment and with that, the external factors affecting the project or the project’s own impact on the society should be analyzed extensively (Enbridge Inc, 2012; AFX News Limited, 2007). Officials at Enbridge believe the project has more direct and indirect benefits to offer than harm to the society or the environment. .Such projects provide employment opportunities, permanent and contract based. The construction period of the pipeline project will open a window for 62700 jobs and 1146 operational jobs in British Colombia, Alberta and parts of Canada, collectively. Such a job exposure will lead to skill development within the workforce. High-end tax returns of the pipeline project of $912million will contribute towards the betterment of the society and the province. This will be the largest private investment in the history of British Colombia. The revenue from the pipeline will contribute $270million to the Canadian GDP. Tax reve nues over 30 years will be over $1 billion, providing funds for healthcare, education and creating more job oppurtunities. Such an invest will give 1150 jobs in the Canadian economy. (Northern gateway pipeline project). Enbridge is one of the largest energy corporations in Canada, said that the company has the worst environmental record of 804 oil spills between 1991-2010. Therefore, it would not be surprising to realize that Enbridge Inc. is not exactly the favorite of environmental activists and often faces open criticism from various social pressure groups. The chiefs of the Gitxsan region have openly condemned the idea for the pipeline. Environment activists argue that the process of extraction of oil from the oil sands wills pollute air and nearby water bodies such as lakes and rivers, this process will give a rise to global warming causing heat levels to rise in the region. If a spill were to occur, the chances of an explosion may arise due to the levels of bitumen present and such spill in remote areas is always a difficult task to cleanup, especially in winters. The bitumen pipeline penetrates coastal waters for 185km; a spill can fatally damage the marine life and the waters of the protected bear forest. Furthermore, bitumen rapidly dissolves in water; this makes the decontamination a lengthy task. (Girard, R. 2010; CBC News 2012) The figures released by Enbridge state that the pipeline running from Kitimat would transport 193,000 barrels of natural gas condensate per day. With a westerly flow, oil pipeline containing bitumen will transport 525,000 barrels of oil per day. Through the Kitimat marine terminal, the oil will be shipped to the Asian overseas markets via tankers. Enbridge officials ensure that all vessels that enter Kitimat terminal will be modern and double hulled. All safety regulations will be followed and sea and wind conditions will be monitored closely. Enbridge claims that the strategy will be put forward by putting together the best people, strategy and planning (Pipeline information and plan). The debate will go on, between the economic benefits and the environmental hazards this pipeline project will bring. Economically the benefits are there, but being a public limited company has its certain limitations. Any undesired step putting the environment at risk might upset the shareholders and the investors greatly. Considering Enbridge’s reputation of oil spills and environmental violations, the criticisms on Enbridge