Baseline

This publication includes global warming databases converted to the uniform baseline. The publication includes NASA, NOAA and Berkeley Earth databases of global surface temperature changes in the period 1850-2021 for land+ocean, 1750-2021 for land only and 1880-2021 for ocean only. The databases are converted to the 1850-1900 baseline showing minor differences between them. 61 years linear trendlines indicate constant increase of global warming reaching in 2021 0.017 °C/y for land+ocean, 0.026 °C/y for land only, and 0.012 °C/y for ocean only.

While there are examples of successful weapon systems acquisition programs within the U.S. Air Force (USAF), many of the programs are still incurring cost growth, schedule delays, and performance problems. The USAF now faces serious challenges in acquiring and maintaining its weapons systems as it strives to maintain its current programs; add new capabilities to counter evolving threats; and reduce its overall program expenditures. Owning the technical baseline is a critical component of the Air Force's ability to regain and maintain acquisition excellence. Owning the technical baseline allows the government acquisition team to manage and respond knowledgeably and effectively to systems development, operations, and execution, thereby avoiding technical and other programmatic barriers to mission success. Additionally, owning the technical baseline ensures that government personnel understand the user requirements, why a particular design and its various features have been selected over competing designs, and what the options are to pursue alternative paths to the final product given unanticipated cost, schedule, and performance challenges. Owning the Technical Baseline for Acquisition Programs in the U.S. Air Force discusses the strategic value to the Air Force of owning the technical baseline and the risk of not owning it and highlights key aspects of how agencies other than the Air Force own the technical baseline for their acquisition programs. This report identifies specific barriers to owning the technical baseline for the Air Force and makes recommendations to help guide the Air Force in overcoming those barriers.

Due to its impressive sensitivity, long baseline atom interferometry is an exciting tool for tests of fundamental physics. We are currently constructing a 10-meter scale apparatus to test the Weak Equivalence Principle (WEP) using co-located Rb85 and Rb87 atom interferometers. This apparatus aims to improve the current limit on WEP violation 100-fold, which illustrates the power of this technique. This scientific goal sets stringent requirements on the kinematic preparation of the atomic test masses, the interferometer laser wavefront and stability, as well as the electromagnetic and gravitational field homogeneity of the interferometer region. The efforts to control these sources of systematic error are discussed. Additionally, applications of long baseline atom interferometry to space-based sensors for geodesy and gravitational wave detection are presented.

The discovery of a Standard Specific Baseline Mass Transfer Coefficient (KLa0)20 represents a revolutionary change in the understanding, designing, operation and maintenance of aeration equipment, as well as providing a baseline for future research and development for water and wastewater treatment systems. Previously, it has not been possible to correlate mass transfer coefficients (KLa) from one test to another, even under ordinary testing circumstances. This book discusses the use of the Standard Model to determine the baseline for any test, and its major finding is showing that gas transfer is a consistent relativistic theory of molecular interactions based on the Standard Model. Previously, the primary challenge was the appearance of divergences in the mass transfer coefficient calculations and estimations. This procedure of renormalization to a baseline is a great achievement in physics and engineering.

Shifting Baselines explores the real-world implications of a groundbreaking idea: we must understand the oceans of the past to protect the oceans of the future. In 1995, acclaimed marine biologist Daniel Pauly coined the term "shifting baselines" to describe a phenomenon of lowered expectations, in which each generation regards a progressively poorer natural world as normal. This seminal volume expands on Pauly's work, showing how skewed visions of the past have led to disastrous marine policies and why historical perspective is critical to revitalize fisheries and ecosystems. Edited by marine ecologists Jeremy Jackson and Enric Sala, and historian Karen Alexander, the book brings together knowledge from disparate disciplines to paint a more realistic picture of past fisheries. The authors use case studies on the cod fishery and the connection between sardine and anchovy populations, among others, to explain various methods for studying historic trends and the intricate relationships between species. Subsequent chapters offer recommendations about both specific research methods and effective management. This practical information is framed by inspiring essays by Carl Safina and Randy Olson on a personal experience of shifting baselines and the importance of human stories in describing this phenomenon to a broad public. While each contributor brings a different expertise to bear, all agree on the importance of historical perspective for effective fisheries management. Readers, from students to professionals, will benefit enormously from this informed hindsight.