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Data on the UBV system are presented for 14 quasistellar radio sources, 8 N galaxies,39 radio galaxies and 19 radioquiet galaxies south of +20° declination. Their positions in the two - color diagram show that the integrated colors of the radio galaxies are similar to those of the radioquiet galaxies of the same morphological type. In an absolute radio magnitude - radio index diagram a linear relation exists between M158 and ím158 Boo for radio galaxies of all classes. The QSO:s, however, do not follow this relation, and possible explanations are considered. The brightness and color distributions in the larger galaxies are described in detail. Our results are combined with other data for a discussion of the compositions of these systems. It is suggested that a fairly high amount of reddening occurs in the central regions of several galaxies, as for instance, in NGC 1068 and NGC 1316.

The dynamical nature of atmospheric disturbances in the Southern Hemisphere simulated by a two-level general circulation (GCM) model is studied. Time series of the dependent variables and diabatic heating components from 10 Southern Hemisphere winters (JJA) and summers (DJF) simulated by the Oregon State University two-level GCM are used. The time mean fields are presented and discussed. Variance and covariance analyses are performed to determine the geographical distribution, intensities and transport properties of high-frequency (periods between 2.5 and 10 days) and low-frequency (periods between 10 days and a season) transient eddies. These are discussed in terms of dynamical consistency with the time-mean circulation. It is found that the behavior of the high-frequency eddies at mid and high-latitudes is consistent with baroclinic instability theory, i.e., the eddies have properties similar to observed migratory weather disturbances. The low-frequency eddies appear to be quasi-stationary Rossby waves originating at middle latitudes. They seem to disperse energy in a manner consistent with arguments based on simple linear wave dynamics. During wintertime, the time mean flow directs eddies poleward where they grow by baroclinic processes. Also during wintertime, the slow phase velocity, fast group velocity and cyclic domain lead to quasi-resonant behavior on a hemispheric scale. / Graduation date: 1988

This PhD thesis investigates the relative importance of oceanic and atmospheric influences on extremes, long-term trends, and seasonal to interannual variability of precipitation for different regions in the Southern Hemisphere in observations, reanalysis data, and output from general circulation models (GCM). Examination of interannual rainfall extremes over southwest Western Australia (SWWA) reveals a characteristic dipole pattern of Indian Ocean sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTA). This coincides with a large-scale reorganization of the wind field over the tropical/subtropical Indian Ocean changing SSTA, via anomalous Ekman transport in the tropical Indian Ocean and via anomalous air-sea heat fluxes in the subtropics, and altering moisture advection onto SWWA. The potential impact of these Indian Ocean SSTA in driving modulations of mid-latitude precipitation across southern and western regions of Australia is assessed in atmospheric GCM simulations. The SSTA give rise to changes in the thermal properties of the atmosphere, meridional thickness gradient, subtropical jet, thermal wind, and baroclinicity over southern regions of Australia, thus modulating precipitation. In addition, links between anomalous wet conditions over East Africa and these characteristic Indian Ocean SSTA are explored during the "short rain" season in October-November. Interannual extremes m New Zealand rainfall and their modulation by modes of Southern Hemisphere climate variability, namely the Southern Annular Mode (SAM) and El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), are investigated. Late twentieth Century trends in New Zealand precipitation are examined for the period 19792006 to quantify the relative impact of recent changes in the large-scale atmospheric circulation related to the SAM and ENSO. Increasingly drier conditions over much of New Zealand can be partially explained by the SAM and ENSO. Cool season rainfall variability in southeastern Australia is investigated via a classification and characterization of the predominant types of synoptic systems occurring in the region, focusing on frontal and cutoff low systems. Two definitions of the autumn break developed for northwestern Victoria are employed to produce a synoptic climatology of the break phenomenon. Trends in characteristics of the autumn break indicate that the most recent drought in southeastern Australia is comparable in severity with the two major droughts in the twentieth Century.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1966. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Bibliography: l. [50]-51.

Our current knowledge of the Solar System, with a particular emphasis on the systems of interplanetary objects, is reviewed, and the theory of meteors and the reflection of radio waves from meteoric ionization is then discussed. A description of the meteor radar is given and a method of calibrating the antenna beam is developed. The main project comprises two parts: (a) A general survey of the radar echorate for 20 major and minor meteor streams and the sporadic meteor background, conducted from Grahamstown over the period 1986 April to 1988 January, is described. Definite shower activity was observed for all of the major and some of the minor showers. (b) Based on a scheme proposed by previous workers (Morton & Jones), a method of recovering meteor radiant distributions from the distribution of echo directions is developed. We devise a technique of compensating for possible distortions of the resulting radiant maps, which may arise due to the arisotropic antenna beam. This involves a system of echo-weighting. Radiant maps which showed considerably less distortion than those of the above workers were obtained without the weighting procedure. It is concluded that, although the method in its present form introduces spurious features into the maps, the principle is sound and should eventually be refined to produce the desired compensation

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Please read the Summary in the section 00front of this document / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2005. / Genetics / Unrestricted

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Despite the long time since the introduction and spread of pine plantations in southern hemisphere countries there has been no study of the suitability of this exotic and novel type of vegetation on the native avifauna. This thesis aims to add understanding of this habitat replacement and its effects on the forest bird community. This research included a series of studies to assess the quality of mature pine plantations for the forest avifauna in comparison to what is in native forests. The first two studies determine the effects on the forest bird community of the fragmentation and replacement of native forest in a gradient of substitution. The results showed a direct relationship between level of substitution and loss of functional diversity, and that fragmentation predicts the bird assemblage in pine stands. The next two studies used data from an intensive ringing season to assess differences in the condition of populations inhabiting each habitat. Birds, in general, were found in better condition in native fragments than in pine plantations. Moreover, a despotic distribution was determined for a migrant species and a gradient in habitat quality was found in relation to proximity to native forest. The next two studies used information from a nest-box survey set in a gradient of sites with substitution of native forest. The results showed that the type of forest cover and their proportion in the landscape may affect the breeding performance of some species. Finally, in the last study I evaluated the foraging niche of bird species in each habitat. Compared with native forest, niche breath reduced while the niche overlap increased in pine plantations for most species. The results suggest that pine plantations are poor quality habitat for the bird community and that the substitution of native forests increases selective pressure.