The discovery of transiting planets around bright stars holds the potential to greatly enhance our understanding of planetary atmospheres. In this work we present the search for transits of HD ...168443b, a massive planet orbiting the bright star HD 168443 V=6.92 with a period of 58.11 days. The high eccentricity of the planetary orbit e=0.53 significantly enhances the a-priori transit probability beyond that expected for a circular orbit, making HD 168443 a candidate for our ongoing Transit Ephemeris Refinement and Monitoring Survey (TERMS). Using additional radial velocities from Keck-HIRES, we refined the orbital parameters of this multi-planet system and derived a new transit ephemeris for HD 168443b. The reduced uncertainties in the transit window make a photometric transit search practicable. Photometric observations acquired during predicted transit windows were obtained on three nights. CTIO 1.0 m photometry acquired on 2010 September 7 had the required precision to detect a transit but fell just outside of our final transit window. Nightly photometry from the T8 0.8 m Automated Photometric Telescope (APT) at Fairborn Observatory, acquired over a span of 109 nights, demonstrates that HD 168443 is constant on a time scale of weeks. Higher-cadence photometry on 2011 April 28 and June 25 shows no evidence of a transit. We are able to rule out a non-grazing transit of HD 168443b.
The food price spikes of 2007/08 have revived global awareness of the persistent problem of hunger and food insecurity all over the world, and turned the spotlight back onto the critical importance ...of food and nutritional security for economic development and political stability. Accordingly, interest of major donors, policymakers and research organizations in food security issues has grown in recent years. However, the exact definition of 'food security' remains vague and is subject to interpretation. To be able to monitor progress in global food security, a clear definition of the concept is required as well as a set of quantifiable indicators, which are generally accepted. This first working paper in the FoodSecure project investigates the different proposed definitions for the concept of 'food security', explores their legacy and relates concepts of food and nutrition security to other standard ones. The paper presents operational indicators to measure 'food security', discusses the integration of it in international law and policies (e.g. WTO) as well as the implementation in domestic policies. In their conclusion part the authors argue that food security and the right to food do not impose a specific policy that must be followed to achieve food security. They explain the varying choices of domestic policymakers to follow a policy of food self-sufficiency or food sovereignty instead of a policy of food self-reliance. The food sovereignty movement proposes that adequate food prices should be ensured by protection-based food self-sufficiency as long as the condition of free and perfect food markets is not fulfilled. Under the condition of free and prefect markets, it is economically optimal to pursue a policy of food self-reliance.
What critics around the world are saying Hall, Sandra; Pevere, Geoff; Deb, Sandipan ...
The Hollywood reporter,
11/2003, Letnik:
381, Številka:
18
Magazine Article
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